Destiny of Morgan
by jade-snake
Summary: hermione comes back to hogwarts with 2 big secrets, but can she maintain perfection and deal with both secrets at once? can she cope with every change? who will help her? pre OOTP
1. the start of it all

Summary: (Set in the gang's seventh year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry) Hermione comes back to Hogwarts for her last year with two big secrets . . . but will she be able to handle both of them at once and still maintain her perfection with school? Will she be able to cope with all of the changes that are going on in her life, like the loss of someone dear, or finding a little silver box, or having to go through the pain of possible insanity? Who is going to help her when her life could be at risk, and how will Hermione cope with everything?  
  
Rating: R because of very descriptive incest scenes and some later scenes that will obviously happen between Hermione and Draco. For people who don't like incest of sorts, you should not read this unless you just look for the asterisks (*) and skip the parts in between them or just don't read it because there will be a LOT of them in the beginning part as I'm trying to set the story up and explain in small bits what happened to Hermione so the story can make a bit more sense. Although, you can read the first one because that's just about Hermione discovering something and it doesn't even make a reference to incest, I'll tell with each new chapter which flashbacks aren't bad.  
  
Disclaimer: I unfortunately have to borrow the characters of Harry Potter from the bloody brilliant author: J. K. Rowlings for my own sick little twisted pleasures because I have no talent whatsoever at coming up with things as cool as witches and wizards in all their wondrous glory, but I can at least steal them for a bit can't I?  
  
Author's Note: I will use an asterisk at the beginning and ending paragraphs of every flashback; example:  
  
*Blah, blah, blah (1 paragraph)  
  
Blah, blah, blah (2 paragraph)  
  
Blah, blah, blah* (3 paragraph)  
  
And of course don't just assume that each flash back has just three paragraphs that was just an example!  
  
Oh, and Sirius is still alive in this so . . . just assume that he was brought back to life some how, and use your imaginations, maybe even let me know if you can think of a good way to bring him back to life so I can put it in eventually.  
  
Even though it may seem like it at times, Hermione ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT fancy Harry and they are not an 'item'.  
  
Anywayz I hope you enjoy reading my newest fan faction and I'm sorry but I am not going to be able to finish my series because I just don't remember what I was planning to do and I had the whole story written out and it got thrown away by someone in my family . . . grrrrrrr . . . I hate it when people do that! Well, please read and review and tell me if I should keep going or not!!! (Or else ()  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Hermione was sitting on a couch in the library of Hogwarts 16 days before Christmas studying. Nothing seemed different since summer when her muggle father sexually abused her and even tried to rape her once, but changed his mind and beat her because he knew that she couldn't lose her precious virginity. Of course Hermione knew nothing of the matter, all that she knew was that her father had decided not to go along with his original plan.  
  
She only knew one other thing in her lifetime that had changed so drastically since she found out she was a witch (other than her looks since about sixth year.) She found out that her muggle parents had taken her in from a wizarding family. She only had one clue as to whom her real family was . . .  
  
*She was snooping around her father's office one day when she stumbled upon a silver box that had her name on it. Only, instead of it saying Hermione Anne Granger, it read Hermione Terra Morgan. She tried to open the little box, but discovered it was locked. She noticed a keyhole, but after snooping some more, she found no key.  
  
Later that day she found her mother alone in the sunroom and asked her mother about the box and the seemingly missing key. Her mother burst into tears and said, "I knew this day would come, but why did have to be this way?"  
  
After spending time comforting her mother, Hermione asked about the box and key once again.  
  
"Well, as you have already figured out . . . your father and I are not your biological parents. Your real father and mother, or at least your mother, was a good friend of ours. But one day they gave you to us to take care of . . . it was only supposed to be for a while, but I guess not. You were only a year and a half old when they came back . . . However, they couldn't take you back so they told us about them being pureblood wizards, and that you would become one as well. Then they gave me a little silver box and said to hide it away and to never bring it out or speak of it until you were ready or, as the case is, happen to find it by yourself. They also said that they would give the key to someone around the same age as you and they would be your enemy and appear to be on the dark side until you heard everything that I'm explaining at this very moment. Then they will subconsciously become nice to you and any close friends that they had considered enemies. They gave me two final requests before they left . . . one was to raise you as though you were our own daughter and to let you believe you were muggleborn, and never tell you about them until the time came; and the second . . ." she drifted off and looked towards the doorway of the sun room.  
  
"Dinner is ready," said her father with an odd look in his eyes that was virtually impossible to read.  
  
That night was the first of a long summer of hate and resentment towards her father. That was the start of a long string of beatings and sexual assaults. Hermione had never been happier than when her father dropped her off at the station and she had her Head Girl badge pinned primly on her robes. She had never been happier to call Hogwarts 'home.'  
  
Hermione became depressed when Harry told her on the train that Ron and Ginny were forced to move to some unknown country because Mr. Weasley had been promoted and transferred by the Ministry of Magic, but they weren't allowed to say where for some inexplicable reason. She was glad to hear from Ron everyday though because even though he acted like a stupid git, he was one of her best friends for life. Ginny also wrote to them as often as she could. She hated her new school, she missed them terribly, and Ron mentioned recently that she had depression because of it. Fred, George, and Percy (who had a 'mysterious change of heart' towards Harry and Hermione) were still in England though . . . so at least some of the Weasleys were still around.*  
  
At this point Harry walked into the library and made his way to where Hermione was seated. He took a seat next her and remained silent for a moment before speaking, "Hey Mione."  
  
"Hey Harry," she said to the handsome Gryffindor, seeker and prefect. She felt guilty for not telling Harry about what had really happened to her over the summer. She knew he had noticed her bruises, cuts and scars, and her very abrupt attitude change. She told him not to worry about her, and that she would tell him when she was ready for someone to know about it. He never pushed her for more detail than what she had told him. She knew that Harry worried about her constantly, but was glad that he had upheld his promise to not pry into her private life.  
  
"So what are you doing?" he finally asked tilting his head in curiosity.  
  
She smiled at him and replied, "Just writing my potions essay since it is due in two days and I haven't started it yet."  
  
Had it been last year or earlier, Harry would have probably had a seizure over this news since this was Hermione, but since he had first seen her at Platform 9 ¾ he couldn't blame her usual over-punctuality slipping . . . she seemed to have too much on her mind as of late to care about getting ahead let alone being a major over achiever on all work 24-7. He wasn't going to tease or bother her about it either because for 1 he knew she did NOT need sarcasm or irking right now . . . she simply needed someone to just be there for her and not bother her about the tiny details that were now being overlooked or giving her more frustration than she already had. "Okay, good luck," he said smiling and getting up to leave.  
  
Hermione got up and gave him a hug and said, "I'll se you later then."  
  
"See you later Mione," he said returning the hug and giving her a soft kiss on her cheek.  
  
Hermione sat down and began reading the excerpt not really able to focus on the reading because she kept having flashbacks of what occurred over the summer. She gave a heavy sigh and tried to make herself read and comprehend, but was having little success of it.  
  
Draco Malfoy walked up behind her very quietly and looked down at her, smiled, and said, "Need some help?"  
  
She jumped slightly and turned around. She nodded and Draco took a seat next to her.  
  
"Mal- Draco (Dumbledore asked them to start using first names instead of last names or nicknames[Mudblood and Ferret boy in particular]). . . can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure . . . what is it?"  
  
"Why haven't you been mean to me this year?"  
  
"Because Hermione (her name seemed much easier to say than his was to her). . . unlike the common belief about me, I am not always a snarky, self- absorbed, insensitive prat . . . besides, I can see that you have been going through a hard time. Plus since we are basically partners in this together as Head Boy and Head Girl . . . I see no reason that I should not help you out."  
  
Hermione was waiting for a smartass comment from him, but it wasn't coming. "Is that all?" she asked throwing caution to the winds knowing she may very well have just set herself up for one of those famous biting remarks.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You aren't going to give me some heartfelt smartass remark?"  
  
"I wasn't planning on it . . . that is . . . unless you want one?" he knew that answer, but he felt that he had deserved her bluntness for all those years that he had mistreated her.  
  
"Thanks," she said quietly as a plea for help. 


	2. short lived happiness

Author's Note: This chapter has an incest flashback, so if you don't want to read it just look for the asterisks * *  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor will I ever . . . unless J. K. Rowlings would like to sell them to me? I didn't think so . . . anyways, J. K. Rowlings is the rightful owner of all Harry Potter characters and beasts and memorabilia related to it. All I own is the plot of this story and the paper and computer that it is written on, and any characters or potions or spells I make up during the duration of this story.  
  
Please, please, please review!!! I will love you forever if you do! So without further ado, here is the next chapter!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Hermione and Draco walked slowly back to their bedrooms. Hermione felt drained after reading that entire excerpt on the Demiguise (or Invisibility) Potion and making it somehow into an essay, which was no easy task . . . but she was glad for the help and company of Draco.  
  
Draco had been nice to her while he was helping, which was a nice change. In fact, truth be told, she had enjoyed working with him . . . he was very intelligent and kind when he wasn't be a spoiled prat. They worked very well together too.  
  
Even though she thought that maybe they had stopped . . . a flashback of her father forcing himself on her for the second time came to her mind . . .  
  
*"Hermione!" yelled her father from his office late one day while her mother was out shopping.  
  
Hermione ran into the room moments later, "Yes father?"  
  
Mr. Granger got up and motioned to the seat on the other side of his desk, "Please sit down honey, we never talk anymore." He pulled out the chair and Hermione took a seat. They were silent a moment while Mr. Granger closed the door and locked it (which was unknown to Hermione.)  
  
"What did you want to talk about?" asked Hermione as she heard the click that meant the door was shut. Her father walked up behind her and put a hand harmlessly on her shoulder. Hermione was beginning to worry because her father was not an affectionate kind of person.  
  
"Is there anything that you want to talk about?" he asked giving her shoulder a light squeeze.  
  
"Not that I can really think of," Hermione said tensing up every moment longer his hand lingered on her shoulder. She could feel and hear the blood rushing into her ears and unfortunately that blocked out any somewhat light sound so she didn't hear as Mr. Granger unzipped his pants with his free hand. His pants slid to the floor and his boxers came with them.  
  
Hermione could sense that something was not right, but she couldn't tell what was wrong, "No problems or anything troubling you, or something just on your mind?" he asked reaching into the inside pocket of his suit jacket with his free hand.  
  
"No sir . . . everything is fine, there's not a whole lot to talk about."  
  
"That's great sweetie," he said mysteriously.  
  
"Why?" Hermione inquired uncertainly.  
  
"Because there is something that I want you to do, but you won't really be able to talk, so I wanted you to get anything out now."  
  
Hermione began to turn around slowly, "What do you mean fa-" but she was cut off by an extremely sharp knife being placed on her throat almost to the cutting point. She knew that this was her father's favorite knife and that it could cut through almost anything including most metals, and that meant it could certainly cut through flesh and bone and still not dull, so she was going to have to do whatever he demanded of her. She still hadn't turned fully around so she could not see the state that her father was in at the moment.  
  
"Open your mouth princess," he demanded roughly.  
  
Hermione obediently opened her mouth. She wondered only very shortly what her father was planning, when he walked into her direct view and she could see his unaroused penis. He began He began to insert his unhardened member into her mouth and grabbed her hands when it was fully inside. He brought her shaking hands up to his testicles and squeezed her hands a few times so she got the idea . . . so, completely terrified, Hermione squeezed and massaged and watched his face in horror. He had a look of sheer ecstasy plastered on his face . . . and a lust filled look in his eyes. She could feel him slowly hardening as his member stood at attention inside her mouth, and she was mortified at what was happening. Though she knew this was far from being over. She could see as his face slowly changed from pleasure to lusty dissatisfaction. He lowered his deadly gaze to meet her frightened brown eyes.  
  
"If you try anything, I swear by your mother's grave that I'll kill you," he growled at her. He set the knife down and out of her reach. Then his hands slowly ventured down and cupped her breasts and ripped her shirt and bra off in one swift, fluid motion. He squeezed her breasts so hard that it caused her to squeeze him back even harder and faster to the rhythm at which he was going with her supple chest.  
  
Mr. Granger gained back the look of ecstasy on his face and began to give deep throaty moans and growls of pleasure. His hands traveled down even farther to her pants and her ripped them open and massaged the her vagina with both hands, almost delicately, which in turn caused her to give one really hard squeeze. Then the thing that she had been dreading most happened; Mr. Granger dug his fingers into her as his climax came and he released himself inside her mouth as he yelled out from his soaring pleasure caused by the last hard squeezes from Hermione. Hermione felt as though she was going to gag.  
  
She cried all that night and stayed locked in the bathroom as she vomited all night from the sickness of it all.*  
  
A tear slid silently down her cheek as the memory flashed in an instant. She felt dizzy, light-headed, and nauseous. Then she fainted.  
  
"Hermione!" Draco stepped behind her and caught her, then sank down to his knees to check her pulse and breathing. 'What is going on?' he thought. Then she started to have muscle spasms. Draco picked her up in his arms and ran to the hospital wing. "Don't worry Hermione . . . you're going to be alright . . . I promise . . ." 


	3. discovering love

Chapter 3 *INCEST WARNING*  
  
Draco paced around the waiting room impatiently waiting for Madame Pomfrey to get finished with Hermione's examination.  
  
He constantly thought about the things his father had adamantly trained into his brain throughout the duration of his life, and engrained it in his mind harder than ever when all the Death Eaters broke out of Azkaban and came back to England to reign at large once again . . . never help a 'mudblood', never show concern for or worry about any 'mudblood', never be in the same room as a 'mudblood unless it was absolutely necessary like during class or the great hall or the library. He had always looked up to his father and idolized him as a little tyke and wanted nothing more than to be just like him when he grew up and dealt with the beatings his father gave him as some tough, warped, twisted love of sorts . . . but that all changed just this year when he learned that Lucius Malfoy was nothing more than a cruel, senseless, backstabbing murderer, and a puppet at that.  
  
He never respected his father after the day he killed an innocent muggle because 'the Dark Lord' had said to. That muggle was Hermione Granger's mother. That day was a day of reckoning for him . . . the day he learned to utterly despise his father openly. That was just two days before the start of term, the day after they had gotten school supplies, he would know, he met up with them in Diagon Alley. That day, he began to hate his father, Voldemort, and all of the other morons who had the nerve to call themselves that S.O.B.'s 'followers'. (Slaves were more like it though.)  
  
Madame Pomfrey walked in just as Draco had finished demeaning himself and the Death Eaters for all being mindless idiots. He looked at her expectantly. Madame Pomfrey shook her head and sighed, "I'm afraid that what Miss Granger has might not be curable . . . even with the most advanced of muggle technologies and powerful sorcery combined. (And that was saying something considering that a sorcerer was the final step of magic and that was only to a select few that were the most powerful wizards and he knew that Dumbledore was the last to be deemed a sorcerer in England.)  
  
Draco didn't know exactly why this would make him as distressed as he was . . . a tear stung at his eyes, (A/N: I know this is OOC, but deal w/ it! () " . . . What . . . what happened to her?" he asked as evenly as his voice would allow at the time.  
  
"I'm not 100% sure what would have caused it since Miss Granger's life has been so hectic, but she has Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I'm sorry, but there's nothing more we can do for her at this time; it's unfortunate that this happened," she said calmly.  
  
This response sent Draco soaring over the edge, "Your sorry!?! How can you be so damn calm about this!!! You're saying she's been suffering and since you don't know why the hell it happened, you act as though she just blacked out for no reason!!! What the hell kind of witch are you if you can act like that?!?" At this Draco broke down and fell to his knees and a tears slid silently down his cheeks.  
  
Madame Pomfrey didn't know how to respond to this, so she just put a comforting hand on his shoulder and let him cry. When the tears subsided, Madame Pomfrey said, "Why don't you go and see her now . . . she needs someone to help her out of those flashbacks she's having . . . right now she is living and breathing a nightmare of whatever caused this."  
  
He didn't need any further convincing, however he did have a request, "Can you get Potter in here too because Hermione would want him to be here with her."  
  
"As you wish Mr. Malfoy," she said exiting the hospital wing to go find Harry. Draco sat on the left side of Hermione and took her hand in his, hoping to offer at least some relief to her in her hellish visions.  
  
* "Hermione!" yelled her father for about the fifth time. Finally she came to the door hoping against hope that this wasn't another one of his advances on her.  
  
". . . Yes father?" she answered hesitantly.  
  
"I need your help with something," he answered. Hermione still couldn't tell exactly what kind of 'help' he wanted, but she knew better than to refuse. She shuddered at the thought of that knife he always had with him. "Are you all right?"  
  
She was relieved he didn't use a pet name, but she knew that she wasn't in the clear quite yet. "Just a little cold," she said hoping and praying that her father was in his right mind at the moment.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Thinking she was almost in the clear she plunged in for the kill, "What did you need help with?"  
  
"Well . . . seeing as you mum and I have our twentieth anniversary coming up during your school year, I thought we might go somewhere special. Then I realized that your mum has always wanted to go to Cuba, the trouble is . . . I don't remember which island it is and the countries aren't labeled," he said indicating a map that took up the whole top of his desk.  
  
Hermione walked to the desk and looked down at it towards the Caribbean Sea. She was happy to help her father and thought it was sweet and very romantic of him to do this for her mum; Lord knows she deserved a vacation . . .  
  
She was happy to help until he came up behind her and she could sense him unzipping his pants like all the times before that he'd done something like this. She heard as his pants and boxers fell to the floor. "So where is it sweetie?"  
  
"Ri- right . . . here," she said swallowing the lump in her throat and pointing her shaky finger to the country, not wanting to turn around.  
  
"Thanks honey, that really helps," he said as he grabbed her hips and began to slowly pull her pants down. Hermione shivered as she felt hands slowly moving closer to their destination.  
  
Even though she hated it . . . she'd gotten used to his advances (and the fact that he'd kill her if she did not comply or did anything wrong,) so she just pushed his hands to her pussy and finished pulling her pants off. Had it not been for the threat against her life, she would have screamed and run away.  
  
Then she felt his hands move to her hips and rip the sides of her panties off. 'Oh God no!' she thought fearing what was probably going to happen next.  
  
Knowing her father, he would make her go all the way this time. She could feel his penis . . . and it was very much erect. She could feel him grabbing in between her thighs pulling them apart to reveal her sex to his hardened member, and he wrapped her legs just below it. She was waiting for to painful penetration of her vagina to come, but that's not what was being entered.  
  
She had heard about this once before; the three different kinds of sex: oral, vaginal . . . and anal. She never felt more disgusted or dirty . . . she had to bite back the scream that threatened to erupt as Mr. Granger spooned in and out and in and out until he reached the climax inside her . . . at least she still had her virginity . . . if it could be called that anymore. *  
  
Harry and Draco watched helplessly as Hermione's face contorted into a look that could either be described as a look of absolute hate or a look of sheer terror. They both squeezed her hands comfortingly as a scream escaped her lips.  
  
"No! Stop . . . please stop!" she yelled.  
  
"Hermione, wake up . . . it's only a dream, no one is going to hurt you . . . just wake up . . ." Harry said to her softly.  
  
Hermione's eyes fluttered open at the sound of Harry's voice. She saw Harry and Draco both looking worried out of their minds for her.  
  
Harry immediately pulled Hermione to him and she began to cry . . . her sobs sounding as though they were forced to be held back for the entire summer and it broke Harry's heart (and Draco's) to see her feeling so out of control of everything and feeling weak and helpless.  
  
Harry held her and let her cry into his shoulder and stroked her hair lightly trying to calm down her heart-wrenching sobs. At one point in time, all his dreams would be coming true to be holding her this close and holding her . . . he no longer felt confused about those feelings at this moment . . . he loved Hermione, but only as a sister and nothing more. Somehow he had the feeling that he shouldn't want her as more than that either.  
  
Draco wasn't sure what to do . . . and even so, he was already too confused about his feelings to worry about how awkward he must look just sitting there doing nothing to help. His mother had told him one very useful thing in his life and at this moment, that was the only thing on his mind. 'The key that I wear around my neck belongs to the girl that I will fall in love with . . . I won't ever feel it react around anyone but that person, and it won't be until they find out at least impartially who the are . . . I will begin to feel something that can only be described as love awakening within me at the time that the girl named Hermione Terra Morgan needs help the most after discovering herself.'  
  
' . . . I'm in love with Hermione . . .?'  
  
Author's Note: I know that Draco seems out of character, but there is one little thing up his sleeve that will revive some of his old self later on in the story, so please don't kill me! Oh and please don't be mad that I changed your character J. K. Rowlings, I didn't mean any harm, really! Well please review and I hope you are enjoying this story so far! 


	4. the pensieve

Chapter 4  
  
Hermione had noticed the bewildered look of self-discovery on Draco's face as he sat there. She said over Harry's shoulder as her tears subsided, "Ma- Draco? Are you alright?"  
  
Draco smiled at her concern, "Y- yeah . . . I'm just glad that you're all right . . . you had us both very worried there."  
  
"I'm sorry . . ."  
  
"Well, I hope you don't mind, but I have something I need to do. Harry, please take care of her," said Draco getting up at once trying to hide the flush that was beginning to steal across his slightly tanned cheeks, he noticed that Hermione and Harry both nodded seeming to understand.  
  
"Sure thing Malfoy," said Harry. Even though Harry used the name by which he'd been calling Draco for years (other than The Fabulous Flying Ferret Boy and such nonsense,) Draco noticed that it wasn't laced with the usual malice that always seemed to come with anyone saying his last name especially when it came from one of the golden trio. He hurried out of the hospital glancing at Hermione quickly, and then he was gone.  
  
By this time Harry and Hermione were sitting side by side on Hermione's hospital bed just letting the silence consume them for a while, while each was left to their own thoughts. That peace was just what Hermione needed after having nothing but flashbacks with little more than an hour of room for silence from one to the next, and they always seemed to flow flawlessly into each other as one took place of another when there was no space between two of them. Not a moment of silence in her head ever came since that summer because she was trying to process everything that happened and handle it all at once . . .and it wasn't working . . . but it was heaven for her in that moment of thoughtless silence.  
  
Harry smiled to himself, he had seen the way that Malfoy had looked at Hermione, he could see the sudden realization in his eyes as he turned back quickly to look at Hermione. Malfoy was in love with Hermione . . . but there seemed to be something else in his gaze that one could only see with a trained eye (and a very well trained eye at that), more of a troubled look then he'd ever seen in anyone . . . but he didn't know what was causing him so much trouble and let it pass figuring it had nothing to do with Hermione. Harry wondered how Hermione would feel about him if she knew . . . even if she didn't, he still wondered. He was about to voice his thoughts when his Godfather, Sirius Black, walked into the hospital wing.  
  
Harry and Hermione smiled at him, both so happy that since Lupin had to leave the teaching business again, that he had replaced Lupin as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher since his name had been cleared two years before when they were able to prove to Fudge that Voldemort was alive, and so was Peter Pettigrew. "Hermione, I came as soon as I could, are you all right?" he asked in a fatherly voice.  
  
"Yeah, I'm much better now; it's nice to see you . . . were you doing something for the Order? Is that why we had a substitute for the past week and a half?" said Hermione quietly. Even though she mentioned the Order, both Harry and Sirius could see that was not why she was being so quiet. Though she didn't know why, she felt that perhaps now as the time to explain. She grabbed a bowl that was on the bed stand and set it next to her. They both looked at her curiously for a minute.  
  
"Harry? Sirius?" she asked more quietly still. They both looked at her questioningly. "Do you know what's wrong with me?" she decided that was the easiest way to open up this conversation.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey said something about Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome to me," said Harry, and Sirius nodded in agreement.  
  
She hesitated for a second, swallowed hard, and then said, "Would - would you like to . . . know what caused it?"  
  
Both nodded their heads and waited for Hermione to continue, both knowing that no matter what, this would be very hard for her. Hermione knew that she couldn't bring herself to describe what happened, so she continued on with her idea. Both of them no longer wondered what she had grabbed the bowl for as she pointed her wand to her temple, then whispered something and pointed her wand to the bowl and a silvery liquid spilled into the bowl.  
  
"Pensive . . ." said Harry. Hermione nodded her head and began extracting more memories. Harry remembered his two encounters with pensive prior to this . . . once in Dumbledore's office in fourth year and then in Snape's office during Occlumency lessons in his fifth. "Hermione?" asked Harry quietly watching her every move.  
  
""Hmm?" Hermione said concentrating on her last two memories, one from just two days before school when Death Eaters killed her mum, then one at King's Cross Station very, early in the morning since her father had to work early, as she was getting close to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. The last time her father beat her, and he didn't waste it . . . he beat her to a bloody pulp, just leaving her face untouched. Then he proceeded to tell her that he blamed her for everything, and that he'd never loved her even before she knew . . . he only thought of her as a nice piece of ass and that was it, then he left her there. She extracted the two and put her wand down.  
  
"How did you learn to do that . . .make pensive I mean?"  
  
"Oh, Professor Dumbledore showed me during sixth year," she said, not bothering to elaborate on the subject. She moved the bowl towards them and said, "I don't want to be forced to relive those moments if it's at all possible . . . so just watch what happened."  
  
Harry and Sirius agreed silently, then both looked at the bowl of pensive and Harry and Sirius touched their wands to it as they saw Hermione snooping in an office and the pensive seemed to suck them in. They watched everything; everything about her path to self-discovery; every time her father sexually abused her; every time her father beat her instead of trying to find a new way to 'climax'; even the one where Hermione was curled up in the corner after one of those episodes where her father decided he wanted to have oral and anal sex, and beat her all in one evening, and she kept her tears back until he left and she kept asking herself why in hell all of it had to happen, why he was taking her dignity and every thread of it, but left her virginity alone; then they forced themselves to watch Hermione as she was torn from her mother then made to watch her tortured and killed by the Death Eaters; then to top it off they saw the scene at King's Cross as she lay there helpless in an alleyway after a beating from her father.  
  
Hermione watched as they reemerged from the pensive and landed back in the hospital and looked at her bewildered and sorrowful. None of them spoke for a minute or so. And when it was broken, Sirius was the first one to speak, "Hermione, do you know where that little box is right now?"  
  
"It's in my bedroom, why?"  
  
"Would you summon it? It's called Memoria"  
  
"Sure . . ." Hermione picked up her wand and said, "Accio Memoria."  
  
Moments later the little box flew into her hands and Draco walked in looking a bit shocked to have seen a silver box flying through the hall to the hospital wing. He had something around his neck, but they couldn't exactly see it.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy . . . just the person I wanted to see," said Sirius. This just confused all of them.  
  
"Sirius . . . what is going on here?" asked a befuddled Hermione.  
  
"You'll see. Mr. Malfoy, could you hand me your key for a minute?" Draco handed him the key on a silver chain off his neck and watched as Sirius unlocked the little silver box. All of them except Sirius gasped at what lay inside . . .  
  
DUN, DUN, DUN!!! I know, not exactly a cliffy, but enough of one to be annoying . . . In the next chapter, there is going to be a lot of Latin, I'll translate it though so that you'll know what it says, but be aware that some of these translations are very rough and not exact, but it's the closest I could get with the Latin that I know. And I know that some of this doesn't make sense now, but it will . . . oh believe me it will *evil laugh and a lighting bolt in the background* . . . *cough, cough* someone slap me if I ever do that again. Well, please review, and I'll love you forever thank you for reading Destiny of Morgan, and have a nice day! ( 


	5. the rare gift

Chapter 5  
  
Sirius knew that he should explain sooner rather than later . . . at least some of it anyway.  
  
Hermione wasn't sure what was going on, but knew she should ask, "Sirius . . . how did you know about this?"  
  
"Uh . . . well I . . . I knew your mother and before she . . . handed you over to the Grangers. She showed me this box the day she came back and you were a year and a half or so old. She told me that she was going to give the box to the Grangers as a last memento. Then she showed me what would be inside: a silver locket, a picture, and a letter to you . . . your parents ended up in the wizarding relocation program because of something they had witnessed . . . so their names had been changed, this box and it's contents are the only remaining things from that time. The only thing I know is that your mother and father are still alive." Sirius knew that that explain almost nothing and would leave many questions unanswered, but he wouldn't tell the rest of the story.  
  
"What were their names before?" asked Harry.  
  
"Arabella Trista Morgan and Irvine Sirius Morgan," he said steadily. "I hate to say this, but I really need to get going."  
  
Sirius walked towards Madame Pomfrey's office and entered.  
  
Hermione picked up the contents of the box one by one. She looked at the heart shaped locket with a rose etched on the front and her name etched on the back. Then she opened it carefully to look at the inside, which contained magic pictures of her as a baby and her as a baby with her mother. Written so that it snaked in between both pictures was a Latin phrase: en medias res semper memini quis tibi nunc. Harry and Draco looked confused as they looked at the phrase.  
  
Hermione cleared her throat and said, "It's Latin . . . it means: in the midst of things always remember who you are."  
  
Harry looked shocked, "You know how to speak Latin? But isn't it a dead language?" Draco looked as though he agreed.  
  
I guess I've just known it . . . like being a Parselmouth means you can speak in snake language, only I can speak dead languages and some others," said Hermione as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Dead languages? As in more than one? How many languages do you know?" asked Draco.  
  
"Yes . . . Latin, Etruscan, Lycian, Gaelic, and Ruthinean, which is also known as Russyn. The others that I know are Italian, Spanish, German, French, and some Japanese"  
  
"So is that why you have such an easy time learning spells?" asked Harry.  
  
"Pretty much," she said as though none of what she said was out of the ordinary. She grabbed the letter, which was also written in Latin.  
  
Carus Hermione,  
  
Facilis certus quo initium. Calleo tibi nunc, quo tibi nunc absisto. Bene absisto Ireland, autem admoveo England cesso adgredior Grangers postquam Voldemort accommodo icio ascribo. Etiamsi hic probabilis ea facilis opifer, we arbitratus adsuetudo noster umbilicus appellatio adeo tibi expiscor us. Adamo appime animus.  
  
Sincerus,  
Genetrix & Genitor  
  
Harry and Draco took a quick look at the letter. "I suppose it runs in your family . . . would you please translate?" asked Draco.  
  
"Well, here's the only really useful information . . . we moved to England from Ireland so they could leave me with the Grangers, and they said they'd use their middle names in the relocation program. They want me to find them!" exclaimed Hermione excitedly as she looked at the last two sentences again.  
  
"Their middle names were . . ." Harry began, but had to think back for a minute.  
  
"Trista and-" Draco couldn't remember her father's name.  
  
". . . Sirius? . . ." Hermione couldn't help but wonder.  
  
At that moment she looked at the moment she looked at the picture. There were two black dogs and she was in between them. Harry noticed as well. "It's impossible, it can't be him . . . can it?" he said looking at her.  
  
"I don't know . . . I just don't know Harry," she said looking confused.  
  
Draco wasn't sure of what was going on even though he studied the picture as hard as he could and still couldn't tell what they were looking at . . . was it the dogs? Was Sirius an animagus? He figured it must be . . . it was the only logical explanation. Or was it? He decided to listen to what Harry and Hermione were talking about, luckily he came in to the conversation at the right time.  
  
"Well let's just look at the facts Mione . . . even though I am his only known 'child', he has always seemed to have a special connection to you; he knows about your mother, the Memoria, and the key; and that dog to your left in the picture looks just like him. However . . . I think we should just probably ask Sirius because I could be wrong," concluded Harry.  
  
"I agree . . . and maybe if we're wrong he'll tell us more because I can tell that he didn't tell us everything he possibly could," said Hermione.  
  
'So I was correct thought Draco. "Would you like me to ask him since I have his class first thing tomorrow? And he owes me an explanation about something anyways."  
  
"Would you really do that for us?" asked Hermione hopefully.  
  
"Yeah, if you want me to," he said indicating that he also wanted Harry's approval as well before he did anything.  
  
"If you're willing to do so, I'd appreciate it because I have a reasonable doubt he would tell us everything he would tell you."  
  
"All right, I'll ask him . . . then we have potions after that, so I can tell you anything I find out then . . . Professor Snape won't care if I'm late, so there shouldn't be any problems," said Draco as though he was planning it out to himself aloud. 'Now let's just hope that he'll talk . . ." he thought.  
  
"Speaking of class, I think I'll be off to bed now," said Harry stifling a yawn. He gave Hermione a quick hug, "Night Mione . . . Goodnight Malfoy," he said as he reached the door.  
  
"Night Harry," they said in unison as he left.  
  
"Miss Granger . . . what have you done!" said Madame Pomfrey as she burst into the room suddenly.  
  
"What do you mean?" said Hermione feeling shocked at her arrival.  
  
"Professor Black has just informed me that you made a pensive . . . what on earth possessed you to do something so foolish?" she said indicating the offending substance with her hand.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey . . . I hardly understand! What are you talking about?"  
  
"I would have thought that you'd remembered what the Headmaster told you about making a pensive . . . he warned you about it first thing when he showed you how to make pensive!"  
  
"I vaguely have an idea of what you're actually talking about . . . but please refresh my memory because I don't remember right now."  
  
"Very well . . . when you relieve a very traumatic string of events such as the ones that you did because you knew you could never actually talk about them aloud, causes such a large shock to your mind that the illness will become two times worse."  
  
"But I'm fine . . . in fact this is the best it's been since it all start-"  
  
Madame Pomfrey cut in, "You'll be fine until you go to sleep tonight . . . then it will happen. The flashbacks will come back as a constant nightmare that no one would want to live through it will be so bad. Your body will basically be in constant shock . . . if you can't get it under control after a certain amount of time it could literally drive you insane, or even worse . . . it could kill you."  
  
"So what am I supposed to do about it?" inquired Hermione in a strained voice.  
  
"Well . . . for now the only way to help your mind when the flashbacks come back is to have a comforting presence with you, channeling and filtering you memories as you sleep. This means you'd have to have a strong-minded person whom is willing to take the brunt of the flashbacks as they come to you . . . I suggest someone that cares for you a great deal because that also helps . . . and also make sure that you care about them as well. And when you're awake especially, be with someone because that's when the worst of it comes. The one that you channel through during that time will be drained more quickly of energy than they would at night, so do choose carefully."  
  
"Thank you Madame Pomfrey . . . and for what it's worth . . . sorry I caused so much trouble."  
  
"Oh Miss Granger, you didn't cause any trouble . . . you just forgot that's all, there's no need to be sorry about that. I just hope that you'll be okay. And if there are any problems, go straight to Headmaster Dumbledore."  
  
"Well, I suppose we'll be off now," said Hermione as she got up and left.  
  
Draco quickly followed her out. "So what are you going to do Hermione?" he asked softly.  
  
"Maybe I'll get Harry . . ." she said considering her best friend.  
  
"I don't know if he's the best person to do that right now . . . he looked extremely tired, and why use all that energy to go to Gryffindor tower and back to your room?"  
  
"Well who else is there?" asked Hermione not really seeing what he was implying because she was too tired to think.  
  
". . . I could . . ." he said even more softly.  
  
"Are you sure? I mean . . . people might hear that you basically slept with a Mudblood, even if I'm really a Pureblood, but they don't know that."  
  
"I don't care what they think one way or the other . . . for all I care they could say that I've been your secret lover since forever and we have a secret affair of some sort that's not so secret anymore and that we're shagging each other senselessly every night, and then the Daily Prophet came out with an article like Granger and Malfoy, Enemies by day Secret Lovers by Night, and I still wouldn't care," he said making sure she caught the point he was making with the most preposterous thing he could come up with.  
  
"Thank you Draco . . ." she said as a form a permission.  
  
So they walked to Hermione's bedroom, which was right next to Draco's. The only bad thing about being Head boy and Head girl was that you had to enter through the bedroom to get into the Common Room. And each of them had a different password so that there could be some sort of extra security measure.  
  
Hermione took Draco's hand and led him into her bedroom. She felt so tired that she didn't know if she could make it all the way to her bed. Draco noticed this and gently picked her up and carried her over to her bed and set her down. Just before she fell asleep, she lifted the covers and Draco lay down next to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and instantly felt safe. She willed her dreams to connect with Draco as she entered into the realm of slumber.  
  
He held her close to him prepared to take on anything that was coming. He'd do anything for this girl and he hoped she knew it. When he was sure she was asleep, he kissed her forehead gently and hoped he'd be able to do help her in the upcoming war of the worlds of conscious and unconscious. . .  
  
Author's Note: Well, I finally got this chapter out . . . I hope you're not disappointed. Oh, and the gist of that letter was that they had to leave her with the Grangers in England because of Voldemort. What Hermione said covered most of the letter except for the last part, which in English says: We love you. Sincerely, Mother and Father. Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I will post as soon as I get the chance. I'm still looking for a beta if anyone is interested. Well, please review! 


	6. true confessions

Disclaimer: Yeah right! Like I own Harry Potter! Though I would be more than willing to take Draco off of her hands for her, whenever she's ready to let him go! Everyone hopefully knows that the brilliant J. K. Rowlings is the owner of all characters unless I say otherwise. I do however own the plot and I hope it is a good plot!  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Hermione felt as though the flashbacks she'd had before these ones were like a walk in the park compared to them. They were the same ones she'd had before only ten times worse.  
  
Draco couldn't tell what had hit him as he watched the flashbacks of Hermione's. The flashbacks felt as though they had come from some X-rated horror movie viewed from several different perspectives at once. In these dreams he could hear everything Hermione was thinking, and any screams she held back were amplified like a thousand freight trains getting into a wreck. He also heard Mr. Granger's thoughts . . . even though his mind was mostly empty, the perverted thoughts he had trickling through made the man seem like Satan himself. This man truly was sick and was the kind of guy that gave men such a terrible name, especially to kind and innocent girls like Hermione. Draco was also viewing these flashbacks from a third perspective . . . his father's. In every flashback, Lucius would be using the Imperious Curse to take control of the body of Mr. Granger. Then he saw the flashback where his own father killed Hermione's adoptive mother. The Killing Curse had never seemed as bad as this . . . he looked on in dread as Mr. Granger beat Hermione to a bloody pulp saying that all of it was her fault, and that he never loved her . . . the only area he didn't touch were the areas of visible skin, like her face and arms up to her elbow.  
  
Draco woke up in a cold sweat and instinctively pulled Hermione closer to him. She too was having these flashbacks causing her horrors in her slumber. She was sweating more than even he was from those flashbacks and he just had to wonder how much of a difference he was making in the intensity and frequency of those hellish nightmares.  
  
Hermione could feel Draco pulling Hermione closer and this brought her back into reality slowly. Her eyelids fluttered open and she was greeted with those mesmerizing silver eyes of his looking right back into her troubled chocolate colored ones.  
  
"Morning," he said barely above a whisper.  
  
"Thank you," she said with a shy smile.  
  
"For what?" he asked curiously.  
  
"For staying with me."  
  
"You're welcome," he said smiling back at her.  
  
" . . . You should do that more often."  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Smile . . . I've never seen you smile . . . it's comforting . . ." she said quietly.  
  
"I can try," he said with a slight crimson flush just barely gracing his cheeks. "Hermione . . . did . . . all that stuff really happen?" he asked seriously.  
  
"Are you asking about the flashbacks?" he nodded. "Yes . . . all of it happened," she said sadly and a single tear glided down her cheek.  
  
Draco gently cupped her face with his hand and gently wiped the tear away with his thumb, "I'm sorry Hermione."  
  
"It's not your fault," she said putting her hand over his, which was still resting on her cheek.  
  
Draco deliberated on telling her about his father . . . he decided that he would, "I'm not sure about that Hermione . . ."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"My father was using the Imperious Curse on yours and I didn't try to stop it, and. he's the one that . . . killed your mother and I didn't stop him then either," he said shakily.  
  
Hermione didn't look like any of this fazed her whatsoever, "Draco, that wasn't your fault. No matter how much you try to convince me otherwise. Just because you couldn't stop what happened doesn't mean that you were somehow involved in my father basically raping me, or your father for killing my mum."  
  
"Thanks for that Hermione . . . uh oh -"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Is your clock accurate?"  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"Well . . . we have ten minutes to get to class then," he replied getting up and pulling her up with him.  
  
"We'd better hurry up then."  
  
Both of them grabbed their wands and used them to get ready since neither had time to waste on morning routines and they wanted to keep channeling until the last possible second. Both of them grabbed their books and hurried out of Hermione's room to their first classes. Draco to Defense Against the Dark Arts, Hermione to Charms.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Hermione found Harry near the back of the classroom, so she hurried and took a seat next to him.  
  
"Hey Mione . . . are you okay?" Harry asked looking concerned.  
  
" . . . No," said Hermione lowering her head to rest on her arms.  
  
"Is there anything I can do?"  
  
"Make it stop . . ." she said weakly.  
  
"Make what stop?"  
  
"Please . . . go away . . . Harry, please make it stop . . ." she said on the brink of tears.  
  
"Hermione . . . what's going on?" asked Harry putting a hand on top of hers.  
  
"They won't go away Harry, they're worse because of the pensive . . . they never stop. Harry . . . please make them stop."  
  
"How can I make it stop Mione, tell me . . ."  
  
"May I use you to channel? That's the only way they aren't as bad."  
  
"Sure Mione . . . do whatever you need to . . ." at that moment images came crashing into his mind as though they were a flash flood. He recalled seeing every one of them, but not this bad. "Mione, what happened?"  
  
"Because of the pensive . . . it caused a shock to my mind, which caused the memories to come back even worse the moment I fell asleep last night. They won't stop."  
  
"My God Mione, you mean you've been had to deal with this all night?"  
  
"No. I've been channeling through Draco until 4 minutes ago . . . then they came back in full force . . . its still so bad . . . even when I'm channeling."  
  
"I think you, me, and Malfoy should all go to Dumbledore during our Care of Magical Creatures class because it's right after Potions, and Hagrid'll let us go I'm sure."  
  
"Thanks Harry."  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Draco knew that the best time to ask Professor Black about Hermione would be at the end of class, so he made sure not to pester him during class, which was easy since this class was always busy. He had to admit that other than Lupin, Sirius was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher he'd ever had.  
  
The class finally ended and Sirius said, "Mr. Malfoy, could I have a moment please?"  
  
"Yeah . . . I also need to talk to you about something," said Draco.  
  
"I figured as much, but let me go first because it may answer any questions you have."  
  
"All right."  
  
"Thank you. First, I want to ask you a question. Do you know the importance of that key that you carry with you?"  
  
Draco fingered the key under his shirt, "I think so, but how about you explain it since I want to make sure that we're on the same page," said Draco, pretty sure he knew where this would be going.  
  
"I'm sure your mother told you that that key opens memories of the person who it belongs to and that you wouldn't know who it was until they found what the key opens. I'm also guessing she also told you that the name of that person could only be found on the item that contained the memories for them so that there wouldn't be any doubt as to whom it is."  
  
"Yes she did."  
  
"But I'm guessing that she did not tell you that the fact that the key was given to you had an extremely valuable significance. It means that you are destined to not only stand against Voldemort when the time came, but that you would be party to one of his most valuable followers."  
  
"No she didn't tell me that . . ."  
  
"Do you know why?"  
  
"No. . . why?"  
  
"Because I never told your mother that when I gave the key to her because your father would have killed you knowing that bit of information. You and Harry were destined to destroy the two most evil people in the history of magic . . . Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy."  
  
"How do you know all of this?" asked Draco though he was already sure of the answer because Sirius was saying 'I'.  
  
"I knew that was coming. Do you promise that you'll never say any of what I've said or am about to tell you to anyone except Harry and Hermione?"  
  
"Yes, I promise."  
  
"Good . . . well the truth is . . . I know all of this because . . . I'm Hermione's real father . . ."  
  
Author's Note: Well, I finally got the next chapter written and all. . . so how did everyone like it? Just so everyone knows in advance, when Harry addresses Hermione he calls her Mione, and when Draco addresses her he calls her Hermione, (duh!) I was just looking through the story on paper and I realized that there are some conversations that I won't write Draco said or Harry said. . . you'll just have to hope that it's not too hard to tell, when it finally gets to that point. Anyways, please review and I will love you forever and ever! 


	7. the only way out of insanity

Disclaimer: Well, as most anybody with half a brain can already tell, I am not, nor will I ever be J. K. Rowlings . . . but I do own the plot (as far as I know) and I do own the original characters that I put in at the end of this chapter. So don't plan on suing any time soon because I openly admit that I do not own Harry Potter or the characters or any of the concepts that J. K. Rowlings created.  
  
So please read and review because I want some reviews!!!! PLEASE!!!! I'm not above begging! I'm begging each of you who read this story to please review because I want some feedback! Well, enjoy reading!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Even though Sirius had only told him what he'd expected to hear, Draco was still shocked at those three words . . . 'I'm Hermione's father . . .' He couldn't believe Sirius admitted it.  
  
Sirius knew that Draco wouldn't tell, but he needed to explain why so that Harry and Hermione wouldn't tell Ron or Ginny, "Just remember not to tell anyone else about anything I have said to you . . . if you do, it could put us all in serious jeopardy if the info happens to fall into the wrong hands."  
  
Draco nodded his head in understanding knowing fully well just how dangerous information like this could be when presented to the right person. "Thank you for trusting me, I won't let you down," he said.  
  
"Oh, before I forget . . . here's a note to Snape in case you have any problems. I know you're his favorite student and all, but seeing as you are Head boy, there's only so much room for favoritism, and you are flirting with the end of the line in his books . . . believe me, I know."  
  
Draco wasn't about to ask how he meant because he knew that he needed to get to class. So he exited and ran swiftly to class. Draco opened the door to the dungeons when he got down there three minutes later. Snape looked surprised, but said nothing as Draco handed him the note and took a seat.  
  
Draco could see Hermione and Harry weren't having an easy time during class and instantaneously knew that she was channeling through him. Draco felt very sorry for both of them because he knew how horrible the channeling was on both parties involved.  
  
Snape noticed how distracted Draco was and looked up to find Hermione squeezing the life out of Harry's hand with her eyes closed and tears flowing down her cheeks. Harry just had a look of pure terror etched onto his face. 'Dear God it can't be true . . . is she really channeling through Potter . . . already? But that wasn't supposed to happen for a few more weeks. She's getting worse by the minute . . . I have to do something now.'  
  
"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Mr. Malfoy, could I please speak with the three of you outside for a moment?" said Snape suddenly stopping in the middle of his lecture and causing major confusion among the other student as he motioned the three to follow him out into the hall. Before Snape closed the door he said to the class, "Please copy down the ingredients, and if I hear a single disruption, I will take fifty points from the house of each person I hear even whispering." Then the door slammed shut after him, leaving the Slytherins to whisper and the Gryffindors to pass each other looks of confusion.  
  
"The three of you should report to the Headmaster immediately . . . Miss Granger's condition is getting too bad I suggest Miss Granger, that you channel through both Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy because it will make it easier for the two of you to bear. Now I have some points to take away, " he said in close to one breath. He smirked and entered the classroom, "150 points from Gryffindor and 250 points from Slytherin. I was deadly serious about that!" exclaimed Snape as he closed the door.  
  
The three stood there momentarily with shock written on each of their faces . . . Snape NEVER took away house points from Slytherin. Draco took Hermione's right hand and together the three of them walked to Dumbledore's office.  
  
It seemed as though the flashbacks were still worse than they were for Hermione before the pensive, but much better than with just Hermione and one of the others, but Draco noted the intensity was exactly how it was during the night, and if that was with three people, he didn't want to imagine how bad it would be for Hermione by herself.  
  
"So Malfoy, what'd you find out?"  
  
"Well, first I have to tell you that you can't ever say a word of what I tell you to anyone . . . not even the Weasleys. You could put yourselves in serious danger if the wrong person happens to find out this information."  
  
"Draco, please just tell us, we'll never tell a soul. Witch's honor," said Hermione weakly.  
  
"Yeah, no one will ever know. Wizard's honor," said Harry nodding his head in agreement to Hermione  
  
Draco felt so sorry for her, "Well . . . we were right, he's your biological father."  
  
By this time they were at the gargoyle statue. Both felt Hermione tense up and squeeze their hands extremely hard.  
  
"Mione are you okay?" Harry shook her hand lightly.  
  
"Yeah . . . just what Draco said erased one of the memories. Cinnamon Red Hots," she said and the gargoyle sprang to life, revealing the spiral staircase.  
  
"Good . . . isn't it?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yeah, it is I think," said Hermione as she tugged on their hands to remind them that they still had something to do.  
  
They walked up the stairs quietly. When they reached the top Hermione burst into a fit of giggles.  
  
"What's so funny?" asked Draco looking from Hermione to Harry, catching the same confused expression on his face.  
  
"Harry . . . d - d'you realize . . . what . . . what this makes . . . us?" asked Hermione trying to speak through her laughter.  
  
"Hermione, what are you . . . oh!" Harry began to laugh as well.  
  
Draco was feeling a bit odd; as he was so slow to realize what on earth they were talking about. Then it hit him . . . Hermione was basically Harry's sister. He laughed shortly, and then said, "Come on, let's do what we set out to do," he then knocked on the door of the office.  
  
Harry and Hermione quickly composed themselves as the smiling Headmaster opened the door and bid them 'come in'.  
  
"Sorry to disturb-"  
  
"No need to apologize Miss Morgan," said Dumbledore knowingly. His eyes twinkled at the perplexed looks on all of their faces, as if completely expecting that reaction.  
  
"You know?" asked Hermione feeling worried.  
  
Dumbledore chortled softly at this, "Indeed. Would any of you car for a lemon drop?"  
  
"But Professor Dumbledore, if you know about that, does it mean you know everything?" asked Harry.  
  
"I can do you one better; I know more than even Professor Black knows, so much that all four of your heads would spin," he said pointedly.  
  
"What do you mean . . . there can't possibly be more," said Draco trying to rationalize the situation.  
  
"I'll be sure to tell you sometime this year, but I'm sure there are some more pressing matters at hand?" he said reminding them of why they were there in the first place.  
  
"Well, we wanted to know how we can help Hermione because she made a pensive and basically increased the intensity and frequency of her flashbacks," said Draco sounding extremely worried for Hermione's well being.  
  
"Ah, yes . . . unfortunate this happened. There is a way to stop it; however, you must figure this one out on your own. The only advice I can offer is: counteract each of the memories with something that you would consider 'bigger' and 'better' that will not cause a negative effect on your mind."  
  
"But what can we do until they are all gone?" asked Harry wanting to get his 'sister's' suffering under control.  
  
"I will let all of Miss Morgan's teachers know to let her off easily on the work load so she can concentrate on the task of counteracting the flashbacks. Also in Potions and Care of Magical Creatures I will have it set that the three of you will be together for any and all projects so that you can continue channeling. Mr. Potter will cover History of Magic, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Charms by himself. Mr. Malfoy, you will cover Arithmancy. I will see to it that no one will know anything other than the fact that it's a project of some sort; perhaps that you are working together to produce a plan against Voldemort. This needs to remain a secret if we can help it, the only people that will know about this are the teachers that have to, Madame Pomfrey, and myself. So you may have figured out that you can't tell anyone about the flashbacks either. We will give Miss Morgan a potion tomorrow and once every two days for two weeks that will help to repress the flashbacks so that they won't cause too much trouble for you during that period, but we can't administer more than that because it will become a poison to your body after the seventh time."  
  
"Thank you," said Hermione softly. "Thank you for going to much trouble to help me."  
  
"It's no trouble at all. I just hope you can figure out the things you need to. I'm afraid that I can't tell you what you will be figuring out because you need to make that discovery on your own."  
  
"Thank you Headmaster for all of your help," said Draco graciously. Dumbledore escorted them out of his office. "Hey you guys, let's just go down to Hagrid's since there's only five minutes of class left and we can't do anything else for Hermione until tomorrow."  
  
"Good idea, then we can talk with Hagrid to make sure he knows everything," said Hermione.  
  
So they began walking down to Hagrid's hut.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Cecily North and her mother traveled towards the Malfoy Manor, both of them looking like royalty in their designer robes and with their hair and make- up done in the latest fashions. Cecily was Draco's betrothed, even though he had never met her before. Cecily knew that she had a mission to accomplish, and she was not one to fail or back down.  
  
Her mission: make Draco Malfoy fall in love with her at any cost, and finally, get married and inherit the Malfoy money . . .  
  
Author's Note: I told you that I had something up my sleeves for Draco that would shake up the nonexistent relationship of Draco and Hermione, but fear not, there shall be a relationship as soon as I decide to put it in. This story is more of a challenge for me because romance always happens in the first few chapters, like the dating and kissing and . . . well you know the rest. But I want this story to be different, so I'm delaying the romance for a bit, which takes out every ounce of will that I have left, but I wanted to try something different or else all of my stories will end up the same and that would just be boring. Anyways, I don't know when I'll have the time to write more because my Cross Country training starts tomorrow (like the actual sport starts) and that will take up a LOT of my time and energy, but don't worry, I'll try to get things in as fast as I can because you people are all just so cool for reading my work! 


	8. a plan of demise

Disclaimer: I do not Harry Potter. I do own the characters of the North family and that is all.  
  
PLEASE REVIEW!!! I only have 24 reviews and I want some more!!! Special thank yous to my betas Lulu and Melody, it's great to have you because you guys are the best!  
  
Chapter 8  
  
"You know . . . you're not so bad Malfoy," said Harry as the trio made their way towards Hagrid's hut.  
  
"You're not bad yourself Potter," said Draco with the slightest smile on his face that most would never see.  
  
Hermione just remained silent at the friendly exchange, glad that it had finally come down to this. It was just too bad that it had taken six years of being enemies to have one year of friendship at the school, but it was better than nothing. She also realized that it was basically only because of her that the two were even on friendly terms . . . maybe this whole thing was all for show for her? She seriously hoped it wasn't. She would just observe them until she knew for sure.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Cecily took in the ornate decorations, the tapestries and the silver and gold plate that gave a touch of color to the room, and then shrugged. "Lucius has built quite a place here."  
  
"None in England like it," Lady North agreed, looking at the rich furnishings. "And it may be yours, of course."  
  
"Oh? You're really thinking of Draco now?"  
  
"Of course." Lady North cast a smooth glance at Cecily. "He's the heir to the most powerful pureblood family in England - next to your father - or will be, with the proper guidance."  
  
"I see. And what about Larose and the others?"  
  
"Not at all possible!"  
  
"No, I can see that," Cecily agreed wryly. "But Draco - he has all the qualifications of a son-in-law?"  
  
"Certainly!" Lady North said. Her smooth composure was broken by a faint surprise. "Surely you must have known that he was the only choice? The others were merely preliminary."  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"Well, now that it's settled-"  
  
"But is it settled?" Cecily asked quickly. "What about father?"  
  
"Oh Draco has enough dash even for him," Lady North said impatiently.  
  
"Oh - and what about me?" Cecily asked suddenly. She picked up the dress robes the servant was holding up for her approval, then added, "Marriage is a little more than money and a title, mother!"  
  
Lady North seemed to freeze. Her cold face focused on her daughter and she said in almost a whisper, "No - it is not, Cecily! You are engaging in some sort of romantic dream - a poetic fancy - " Her nose wrinkled slightly as if she smelled a fetid odor. "Your private affairs I will not inquire into, but your duty to marry within the realm where fate has placed you, that I must see too."  
  
Cecily gazed into her mother's cold eyes and said almost in a whisper, "That is your way, Mother. That is not mine!"  
  
For a long instant they stared at one another - mother and daughter, so alike, yet separated by a great gulf in mind and passion. Finally Lady North nodded slowly and said, "You will have your own way Cecily; your father has spoiled you. But in the end, you will do as I have done. You will consider what is best for your own destiny. Have your fling, but do not make the tragic mistake of throwing yourself away for some romantic dream. You are your father's daughter - and he is a romantic fool. I cannot help that. But you are my daughter as well. I know you do not love me, but it is my way you must follow if you are to survive. So - be cautious!"  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
She couldn't help but feel guilty because she was the one that caused this whole problem in the first place. If it weren't for her, they wouldn't have to put up with all this trouble from the flashbacks and having to get rid of them. It was all her fault . . .  
  
"Hermione? Are you all right? You're being awfully quiet."  
  
"Sorry," she mumbled. She didn't want them to have to feel more pity for her or worry about her, so she put a fake smile on and said, "I was just thinking about something."  
  
"What were you thinking about?" inquired Harry.  
  
"Umm . . . just thinking about what Dumbledore said."  
  
Both could tell that something was on her mind and that she was lying, but they let it go with a shrug. Hermione heaved a silent sigh of relief at this along with silent thanks at their respecting her wishes. They walked in silence for a while longer and then students began to pour out of the front doors towards Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures.  
  
"Draco! What happened to you during Potions?" came the shrill, high voice of Pansy Parkinson who was in the lead of the Slytherins going to Care of Magical Creatures. She stopped short the moment she noticed the presence of Harry and Hermione. "Draco, what is that doing here?" she said indicating Hermione. The others Slytherins began to glare at Harry and Hermione at this statement.  
  
"Sod off Parkinslut, no body wants you here," said Hermione dangerously, her eyes like chips of hazel ice.  
  
"Nobody asked you Mudblood, now go away before I do something to you for even going near Draco," said Pansy pulling out her wand and walking right up to Hermione. Pansy stood a good five or six inches above Hermione, which would usually be intimidating, but Hermione's rage was so close to exploding that it didn't matter if Pansy was just as big as Grawp.  
  
"Ladies, ladies . . . this is a little unfair . . . Mione, you're too powerful for that tart . . . she doesn't stand a chance, so why pick a fight with her?" said Harry stepping in between them and giving Hermione a look that seemed to be saying 'watch it, we don't want to get in trouble right now.'  
  
"Shut up Potter! You don't know who you're talking about, I could beat this bitch any day of the week with my eyes closed," shrieked Pansy indignantly.  
  
"Hermione, Potter, let's just go," said Draco lowly so that only they would here him. So they all turned around and started back on their trek to Hagrid's 'classroom.'  
  
"D - Dra - Draco. . . wh. . . where are you going? Draco!?!" Pansy frantically ran up to him as though he was leaving forever and never coming back.  
  
"Get away from me Pansy," Draco said in a deathly calm voice almost betraying his annoyance of the ugly, high-pitched, pug-faced, tramp in front of him.  
  
"What are you saying Draco? What are you talking about? It's me Draco, not that Mudblood, who do you think I am, I'm not her!" she cried in a frightened voice.  
  
"You're absolutely right. . . she'd never be you, you'll only be one thing ever."  
  
"What is that Draco? Beautiful? Hot? Gorgeous?" she began hopefully even though she knew that Draco was betrothed to some rich and powerful supporter of Voldemort, but he could always mess around on her if need be.  
  
"No. . . you really want to know what I think of you Pansy?" she nodded her head at this, "All you'll ever be is a whore, a harlot, a prostitute, a trollop, a jezebel, bimbo, streetwalker, tramp, lady in red, tart, cat, wench, slut, woman of the night, strumpet, floozy, hooker, scarlet woman, broad, nymph, midnight cowgirl, nymphet, lewd, moll, pickup, bawd, trash; take your pick because I can keep going all day if you'd like or if you don't know what any of those are then maybe you'll understand this; GET THE HELL OUT OF MY FACE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU!" by this time Draco's eyes looked so dangerous, he probably could have efficiently replaced the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets without any complications. Pansy began to cry hysterically, which just caused Harry and Hermione to cover their ears, as did many of her fellow Slytherins because her cry sounded like two cats in a very bad fight more or less.  
  
Hermione had to bite back a laugh that was threatening to escape at the look of confusion on Pansy's face that mingled with her tears of ignominy. "Gee Parkinson, still don't understand it? Do you want me to clarify?" asked Hermione finally giving into the laughter, which consumed her wholly.  
  
Pansy had had it finally and jumped on Hermione and began to viciously claw at her in her anger at being humiliated like she just was, by a Slytherin no less. "I've had it with you, you Mudblood bitch! I'm going to kill you, I swear it!" she screamed while scratching Hermione's face with her sharp nails, which left a trail of blood to follow. Hermione, though much smaller than most of the girls at Hogwarts, was much stronger than she looked; she was able to free her left arm (which happened to be her strongest) and slapped Pansy so hard that she flew to the ground holding her cheek, spiting up blood, and whimpering at the pain that had just been caused her.  
  
Hermione looked about ready to kill. All she did though, was walked to class letting her anger cool down before it cost her the education she had been receiving for the past six and a half years. Harry and Draco and the rest of the Gryffindors all hurried over to Hagrid's. Then the Slytherins, minus Pansy and Millicent, followed suit. All of them had never thought that Hermione Granger (or Morgan in the case of Harry and Draco) could possess so much strength, and they didn't want to be there when Pansy came out of her daze because she could be absolutely inhuman when she was pissed off.  
  
"It's okay Pans . . . he . . . he didn't mean it," offered Millicent feeling sorry for her friend.  
  
"I'm going to kill that Mudblood bitch if it's the last thing I do Millicent, nobody slaps Pansy Parkinson and gets away with it," said Pansy in a deep, demonic voice quite unlike her own.  
  
"I can think of something better to do to her," said Millicent with an evil smirk.  
  
"Talk to me."  
  
"Tell her of our 'dear' Draco's betrothal. . . I mean it's obvious she has feelings for him isn't it?"  
  
"Oh Millicent, you always were a genius in disguise, it's brilliant, absolutely brilliant. . ."  
  
Author's Note: Okay, there will be some Draco Hermione action in the next chapter hopefully, that way I can get to the whole Pansy and Millicent plan thing and the smaller evil of the story. Oh, and all those words used for a slut are real words, I looked them up. I'm so sorry that it took so long to get this out, please forgive me! I lost the notebook I had this all written in, so I just decided to change. . . it was getting even too weird for me in my little notebook of random horrors and bizarre and crazy scribbling, so I'm thinking screw it because I like to do different things anyways and this is definitely WAY different than what I had originally intended. Well, please review! I don't know how long it will be until I can get the next chapter out there because I'm already coming to a teensy weensy case of writer's block and lack of computer because I need to get a new computer, and besides, I have school to deal with and barely have any time because I have eight classes from 6:30 A.M. until 4:30, youth group on Wednesdays basically right after I get home until I get home at 9, then I have homework on top of that and it's getting increasingly harder to find time to write when I also have Latin to study for a while. I'm not doing that so much anymore because it's during the school year and during school they give me a ton of projects and homework. Other than that I'm going to try and write whenever I can, which will probably only be on Sundays now because those are for the most part, the only days I have more than an hour to do anything at all. So just be patient and I will deliver, I haven't abandoned you yet! I'm going to start writing thanks yous in the next chapter, but for now I really have to go train for cross country and aerobics, and select vocal ensemble and concert choir. . . Sorry if it sounds like I'm bragging, but I'm just letting all of you know that I am VERY busy with school and church right now in case you're wondering why I'm taking so long to deliver the chapters to you. 


	9. moonlight kisses

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; all I own is the North family.  
  
Wow, I didn't think that some of you were still reading my story, but it turns out that quite a few of you still are! Thanks to those dedicated enough to stick with me on my break for school. I will give thank yous at the end of this chapter for the chapter 8 reviewers. A special thanks to Lulu and Melody, you guys are the greatest betas ever. Please review and enjoy this long awaited scene (long awaited for me anyways, I don't know about the rest of you though.)  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Finally, Pansy and Millicent straggled into Care of Magical Creatures just as Hagrid was heading up to the front of the class having finished a conversation with Hermione. Hermione was channeling through Harry and Draco, but with one less flashback, it seemed to lessen the intensity incomprehensibly. He beamed at the class as he turned around to face them.  
  
"I've got a real treat for yeh today class! Now come with me. Hurry up!" said Hagrid as the class made their way to the back of Hagrid's hut. There was a few crates waiting at the back of the hut, many of them feared that they'd have to do another unit on the Blast-Ended Skrewts because they'd had enough after one time.  
  
"Now, can anybody tell me wha' a Runespoor is?" said Hagrid finally.  
  
Hermione, like always, let go of Harry's hand and shot her hand as high in the air as she could get it because they were near the back of the crowd and there were several taller people in the way. Hagrid, though he could barely see her through the crowd, knew that Hermione was the only one raising her hand.  
  
"Hermione."  
  
"Runespoors are three-headed serpents that used to be a favorite pet of dark wizards because of its frightful appearance. They can grow up to about nine feet long and a vibrantly colored. Each of the heads represent a different emotion, and this sometimes causes one head to fight with the other, and sometimes, two of the heads will kill one of the others."  
  
"Very good Hermione, ten points ter Gryffindor!" he said proudly. Hermione would always pull through even when she was in horrible pain or not in her prime.  
  
Hermione smiled a brilliant smile at his compliment then grabbed Harry's hand again. "Now, yer assignmen' will be to take care of a baby Runespoor fer a week, so it'll only be abou' three foot or so, and to draw it and write which head is which emotion. All of yeh will be in groups o' three and I will assign the groups so tha' there'll be no arguin'. Harry, Hermione, an' Malfoy, yeh'll be the first group so go pick out a Runespoor from one o' those crates over there."  
  
The three of them made their way to the hut. Many people let out groans because they knew that Harry was a Parselmouth and even if he didn't know the answers, he could just talk to the heads and get them, Hermione already knew this stuff anyways so it was like she didn't even need to show up for class, and Draco had once owned a Runespoor and knew his creatures well. That was just plain unfair to the rest of them, they thought, because that would mean they'd have to actually research and study the Runespoor instead of just having the go to person at their every beck and call because Hagrid would keep a close eye on them.  
  
The trio didn't pay attention for the rest of class; they just took their Runespoor of their entire liking and went to the other side of the hut to do whatever it was they were going to do. Harry was talking with the Runespoor all the way asking it all sorts of questions that the other two would never be able to interpret and knew that he probably would be a while if he was going to. They spent the rest of the class watching the Runespoor, which had taken quite a liking to them. They also watched as the rest of the class had a horrible time of even trying to get their Runespoors to stay near them and some of the Runespoors really hated the people watching them and became somewhat hostile towards their temporary owners. The three laughed as they saw Pansy, Millicent, and Blaise all running from their Runespoor, which had taken an instant disliking to all of them.  
  
The class seemed to go by in a flash and they were off to lunch. Harry volunteered to take care of the Runespoor for a while because the two had really taken a shine to each other, and Hermione could tell that Harry seemed to just really like having responsibility over something for once in his life, so they let him take it.  
  
Draco went his separate way as they entered the Great Hall. Hermione and Harry sat in their usual spot and waited for the rest of the people to come in for lunch. One of the first people to enter was Colin Creevey, whom immediately went to Harry and Hermione.  
  
"Hiya Harry, hi Hermione!"  
  
"Hello Colin," they said together.  
  
"Would you two mind if I took a picture of you with the Runespoor?"  
  
"Sure Colin," said Harry.  
  
So Harry moved closer to Hermione and put his arm around her shoulder and held up the Runespoor's heads while Hermione held the tail, which seemed to naturally wrap slightly around her hand. They both smiled and Colin took the picture.  
  
"Thanks you guys! That'll definitely be a keeper! Well, got to go find some more people to take pictures of. Bye Harry, bye Hermione!" said Colin running off in the direction of Parvati and Padma Patil and Lavender Brown, whom also had managed to have a docile Runespoor with them. Colin snapped a picture of them and was off again.  
  
The rest of the day went by very quickly and soon classes and dinner were over and people were just hanging around or doing homework, and for once, Hermione was not one of them. Draco had convinced her to go on a walk with him because she was getting so stressed and needed something relaxing to do. So they walked towards the lake hand in hand (channeling obviously!)  
  
"It's a beautiful night tonight, isn't it?" asked Hermione finally breaking the silence that had enveloped them. It truly was; the moon was full and bright, the sky a velvety, midnight blue and littered with hundreds of stars, which all twinkled brightly. It was really a sight to see.  
  
The cool breezes of the evening brushed against their faces. As they went farther out, quietness spread out, and their voices seemed loud in the silence. They walked for what seemed like hours even if it was only minutes. "Hey Hermione, let's pretend that this is your favorite place to go," stated Draco out of the blue as they were heading back to the school.  
  
Hermione looked up towards the sky and closed her eyes as she said, "I suppose that my favorite place to go was Ireland, I have family there, well foster family back there . . . I remember going there as a little girl, and every night I would look up at the sky and wish that I could be something more . . . that my life did have meaning and that I wasn't just imagining all of the things that were happening because my 'family' wanted to institutionalize me for all the things I'd been saying were happening. . . I suppose that I was beginning to believe it myself . . . that place also has bitter memories for me . . ."  
  
They opened the door and Draco said, "I'm sorry Hermione."  
  
"It's all right, I suppose you've been many places before?"  
  
"I've been to many places before - but I suppose places are all about the same, and in some ways, so is life." He hesitated as they continued walking back to the Head's Hall, which was very close by now, and looked down at her and added softly, "People are born, they grow up, they fall in love -" he paused to watch her face for her reaction. Finally he smiled and went on, "- then they marry, they die - and that's what life is. Isn't that what you want with your life?"  
  
They stopped in front of Hermione's door and Hermione replied, "I just don't know. I really don't know Draco, how am I supposed to love a man most and love everyone else as well? That just doesn't seem possible to me, it doesn't make any sense." It seemed to shock her that she had said something like this so bluntly, and she gave a little gasp and started to draw back.  
  
Draco Malfoy was never a man to miss a golden opportunity like this. He drew her close with a smooth, practiced motion - not so recklessly that he would frighten her, nor so gently that she could pull away. Her eyes opened wide as he pulled her into his embrace, and she seemed unable to move as his body pressed against hers. Her lips opened slightly in shock, and he strongly suspected that never before had Miss Hermione Morgan ever felt as she was feeling at this moment. "Love isn't supposed to make sense," he said to himself. He lowered his head and let his lips fall upon hers. Her lips were soft by nature, and soft as a result of the surprise and shock that came to her as his arms met, closed around her.  
  
At once a resistance stiffened her backbone, but as the warmth of Draco's lips touched hers, it seemed to spread like a fire through her veins; he felt her resistance melt, and she allowed him to pull her even closer. Hermione's heart was beating fast; unconsciously, her arms raised and went behind the back of Draco's neck, and for one moment they stood there embracing, caught in the powerful magnetism between a woman and a man.  
  
Then she drew back with a gasp, her eyes staring; her face at first pale, took on a crimson flush starting at her throat and sweeping up over her face. Then she put both hands to her face and turned blindly away.  
  
Draco instantly took her arm and said what he knew must be said. "Hermione, forgive me - I don't know what came over me . . ." They were both silent for a moment.  
  
He continued apologizing; finally she stopped and turned to face him, her composure restored to some degree. Her eyes were still wide and her lips trembling, but she did not appear to be angry. She was, Draco perceived, shaken from her complacency, and he rejoiced to see it. Finally she said, "We were both wrong, Draco."  
  
Draco shook his head, "There can be no wrong on your part! I have never known a girl who has such depth of spirit; I must say the thought that came to me when I first saw you: a women of virtue and of such beauty is a pearl of great price."  
  
Hermione touched her cheek with one hand, then, confused, turned away from him and went through the doorway as she said the password (pixie dust,) leaving Draco standing outside. He stood there for a few moments; then a broad smile flashed across his lips and he said under his breath, "Well, Hermione, my dear! Underneath that innocent exterior and strict moral behavior lurks a tiger! I'm glad to discover it; and it will be my pleasure to tame the beast!" As he followed her into her room, he knew he had won the game . . .  
  
Author's Note: Yea! Finally some Draco and Hermione action! Well, I have some thank yous to take care of now!  
  
Blue-Dreamz - Yes, Draco is in love with Hermione, and yes his father did plan that, not the Draco being in love with Hermione of course, but he did plan the betrothal to be in Draco's last school year, but that will be elaborated on later on in the story. I will hopefully have this updated soon, but my computer is getting progressively more retarded and freezing so much and it won't allow me to actually get on the internet to post or this stuff would be up faster.  
  
LinNicole - Thank you so much for reminding me about that, I completely forgot about Hermione and Sirius action. I will definitely put some in soon. And Thanks so much for sticking with me during my long hiatus.  
  
Eminem-Chick2 - It is horrible that all the stuff that her 'father' did to her happened, but I wanted to try something different, and this is definitely different from my usual writing style. I feel sorry for them about going through that too, but I think it makes for a stronger plot. And thanks!  
  
Draco Amant - Yeah, I have been very busy lately, but I'm trying to work around it to the best of my ability. I won't abandon my story, it's my baby! I'm glad that you were willing to read a different style than you usually would, it's good that you did that, you have no idea how good that makes me feel about my writing. Thanks!  
  
Blue-Dreamz - Um, Draco doesn't tell Hermione because he doesn't want her to find out. Like I said in the last chapter, Pansy and Millicent are going to play a huge part in this because of that . . . I don't want to give too much away though. I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks a million!  
  
Sweetie2 - Thank you very much! 


	10. a different kind of christmas

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, I own the North family and any new person I may mention in this chapter.  
  
I want to thank my betas, Lulu and Melody, thanks for putting up with me you guys! Oh, and thanks to every one of you reading this story, you guys are the best! Please review and enjoy, this will be the longest chapter I've ever written!  
  
Chapter 10  
  
The next few days went by so fast, many at Hogwarts weren't sure that the days passing were real, even the teachers seemed to think that it was going by fast.  
  
Hermione had taken her potions diligently until Christmas day. They were leaving for home, and everyone at school was going. Hogwarts had never been so quiet as it was then during the winter season.  
  
Hermione and Draco had kept it a secret that they were becoming more than friends, but to anyone who had really good perception, their façade was all for not because it was obvious then. Harry could tell what was going on, but he didn't say anything. He let them have their happiness, even if that happiness wasn't a full-blown relationship. . . they were more like friends that kissed every once in a while. But it was a good thing because one by one, Hermione's flashbacks began disappearing.  
  
Hermione had a secret of her own, as her present to Harry, they were going to go to a special place because he deserved it. She had made the full arrangements a couple days before break. She was always borrowing Hedwig and refused to tell anyone about the letters and such that she had been receiving in return. She was going to use a blindfold on Harry after they got off the train and on their way to where she was going to drive them. . . but she never even gave the slightest hint as to where. She was also talking to Sirius and planning things out with him as well so that things would go smoothly and no one would find out about it until the right time. She hadn't even told Draco about her special plans, just that she would owl him whenever she could and tell him how things went.  
  
Draco had an even darker secret than he could bear. He was betrothed to some mindless twit doing her family's bidding so that they could probably have some claim on the Malfoy fortune, and her had strictly told her in his one or two letters to her that they would NOT be married and that they would act like they were in love to keep up appearances, but that was absolutely it! He hated that girl for ruining his life. Cecily North, the most horrid person he'd ever had the misfortune to know about. He couldn't tell Hermione about this, there was no way that he could bring himself to hurt her because of his father's stupidity in love and marriage. Why did his father have to hate Hermione when she came from one of the most powerful wizarding families known to mankind? He also thought that he might have heard of her mother before. . . that's what he was really going home to do was to research Hermione's mother and father. Maybe convince his father to change his mind about the marriage before it was too late and he lost Hermione forever.  
  
The ride home was very quiet and there were no fights or outbursts that happened. They arrived at Platform nine and three quarters in what felt like no time at all. Hermione practically dragged Harry off of the train, after giving Draco a brief kiss on the cheek.  
  
Draco hurriedly grabbed his stuff and ran off the train towards where his father would be waiting for him. He spotted him almost instantly, but not before spotting someone else whom he had not seen for a while now . . .  
  
Hermione stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the tall figure and evil presence of her father standing near the barrier. He quickly spotted her and immediately began the trek towards her. Hermione backed behind Harry as she saw the determined stride of the man that she had hoped to never see again in her life and trembled with fear. Never had such a violent fear been instilled in her as the fear of her father and his raping and beating her.  
  
He stopped about a meter from Harry, the look of remorse evident on his face, but Hermione did not see it.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked tentatively.  
  
"Y - yes daddy?" Hermione managed to choke out, never leaving the safety of Harry's shadow.  
  
"I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry about every single thing that happened, and I understand if you don't ever want to see me again, and you never will have to after this. But I just have one thing I wanted to ask you and that is, would you please forgive me?" he asked not moving towards the sanctity of Harry's shadow, knowing that that would just provoke her more than she needed to be.  
  
Hermione was silent for a considerable amount of time, then she drew in a very shaky breath, "I'm sorry, but I just can't, not after what you did to me, I don't know if I can ever forgive you."  
  
"All right then, I guess I deserve that, I'll never bother you again Mione girl, I promise."  
  
Hermione hadn't heard that nickname since she was maybe three or four years old, "What did you just call me?"  
  
"I'm sorry?"  
  
"You called me Mione girl, just like when I was little," she said with a single tear gliding gracefully down her cheek.  
  
"I guess I did, well, I really must be going, I have to go to work now. Oh, this is for you it's your Christmas present, Happy Christmas," he said first amused then melancholy as he set the present on the ground in front of Harry.  
  
"Goodbye father."  
  
"Goodbye Hermione," he said with a voice of finality to it knowing this would be the last time that he would ever see or hear from his daughter ever again. He then turned around and walked off the platform and out of Hermione's life forever. She grabbed the present, which was carefully wrapped in paper displaying a beautiful winter scene, and tied with silver ribbon.  
  
She would wait to open up the last present she would ever receive from her old life.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Draco's father told him that he had to hurry because he was going to meet Cecily at her mansion. The odd thing about her home was that it was not in a city but rather on its own away from any city or town in England.  
  
They began the journey there, Draco not knowing what to expect; Lucius knowing that something great was coming. Lucius 'knew' that his son had exchanged many letters and the young couple had grown quite fond of each other (even though the truth is quite the opposite.) They pulled into a driveway and Lucius told Draco to wait in the limousine as he went inside to discuss things with Lord North.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Cecily pulled her dappled mare to a halt with a sharp tug on the bridle that brought the animal to an instant halt. Slipping to the ground with a careless grace, she tossed the reins to a short stable boy who led the exhausted mare toward the stable. If anyone had ventured to suggest that she had been cruel to the animal, Cecily North would have been incredulous. "But it's my horse," she would probably have said.  
  
A tall platinum blonde boy was stepping out of a limousine in front of the wide steps that led into the boxy mansion. As she advanced, the boy turned, and she called out, "Draco!" and a quick smile touched her lips as she ran forward to greet him.  
  
"Cecily!" Draco took her hands, and acted as though he was desperately in love with her in the off chance that his or her parents were actually watching. Finally he said, "You're lovely in the morning!" (he had seen someone listening to them so he kicked it up and so did she.)  
  
"Morning! It's almost noon!"  
  
"Well . . . you're even more beautiful at high noon!" he grinned. 'This is ridiculous, we hate each other . . . the only reason were doing this is to get our parents off our backs, and I want to puke at the thought of calling this whore beautiful,' he thought.  
  
'The only reason we're even being civilized is because of that deal we made so that we could try to get some way out of this so I can marry who I want . . . but damn, he's hot though, maybe this arranged marriage has it's upside . . .' Cecily thought.  
  
"Come inside. I demand to know why you've stayed away so long. I warn you that I've an unerring ear for a romantic lie, so you may as well confess to all your indiscretions!"  
  
As she pulled him into a stately foyer, he said, "I've thought about you since we parted yesterday." 'Gag, wretch . . . I think I'm going to be sick!'  
  
"And you came only to see me, didn't you? Nothing to do with the Dark Lord or his Death Eaters or any business?"  
  
Draco faltered slightly, "W - well, to be truthful . . ." 'I only came over because my father is a prick and made me come to fuck your brains out so that our arranged marriage can be finalized, but anything to stall for time . . .'  
  
Cecily threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, you perfidious creature! Caught in the act! And I thought you were such a romantic suitor!"  
  
"I trust to prove myself just so - but I do have to see your father at once."  
  
"Tomorrow," Cecily said firmly. "Tonight you'll escort me to the Death Eater's Initiation ball! After all we have only a short while before we become Death Eaters!" she said loudly. "You there, show Mr. Malfoy to the guest house and make certain he's taken care of!" 'He'd better be at his peak performance level tonight if we are to eventually make love tonight . . . Oh! God I can't wait to fuck him senseless! He's so sexy, he must be a sex God!'  
  
"Cecily . . ." 'Dear God, haven't I had enough shit to shovel out for one day? But no, I have to dance with the bitch and act like I'm in love with her in front of all the Death Eaters and their children.'  
  
"We'll leave at seven, Draco." She swept out of the room and Draco followed the house elf out of the house.  
  
For the ball Draco wore elaborate black dress robes with silver clasps studded with emeralds, and was given a rose to give his date. The rose was the color of blood with black tips and was far too much, but he shrugged and tucked it away as he walked across the garden to meet Cecily.  
  
Cecily chose a very tight fancy dress gown that had a deliciously, low-cut, v-neck, halter-styled top that dipped down to the waist of the gown and had translucent nude material, studded with delicate diamonds, just barely holding it together in between. The gown was midnight blue (on the bottom) fading into midnight black (at the top) and looked like it was flooded with stars. The skirt of the gown was very puffy and when she walked or the wind ruffled it looked as though it was flowing water. The dress was stunning and it even made Cecily look only just slightly pretty, but too plain for the exquisite dress she inhabited. Hermione, now she would look like a Goddess in that divine creation with her perfect figure, and long, silky, brown hair and perfectly tanned complexion and those hazel eyes that were so mysterious to those that didn't know how to read them. He wished he'd be able to see her in that dress, but that would never come to pass. He knew he had to at least seem like he thought Cecily was beautiful and he had an idea, "I didn't think it possible for anyone to . . . outshine your beauty, Cecily, but I fear it has come to pass." 'And been passed since the dawn of time by every female to ever have existed and then some . . .'  
  
She shot him a smoky glance and asked in an icy tone, "And who has eclipsed my beauty, may I ask?"  
  
Draco made an elaborate gesture with his hand, sweeping it downward to indicate his elaborate dress, and said, "Me! I feel like a tailor's ape - fool of a coxcomb with silver and emeralds!" 'And not to mention I'm dead sexy compared to any glimmer of hope you could ever possibly have in a century or for even eternity because you are an ugly whore that's ten times as bad as Pansy!'  
  
Her lips curved into a smile, and she said, "You look well enough." She took in his lean athletic form, the dashing debonair smile, and the silver blonde hair that framed his masculine face. 'Oh God, I just want to fuck you right here, right now . . .' Then she added, "You are a handsome guy Draco - you're most likely to charm all of the young women here, I fear."  
  
'Damn straight . . .'  
  
The ball was a blaze of splendor that Draco could afterward remember as some sort of twisted nightmare of Heaven. He brushed shoulders with the demigods of the dark side, and was amazed - and somewhat shocked - to find out how strictly human some were. The infamous mistress of Voldemort himself, fabled like Helen for her fabulous beauty, looked well enough at a distance of twenty feet under artificial light, but Draco was repelled to discover that she had apparently never discovered bathing. "Scratch me!" He exclaimed under his breath to Cecily. "But she smells like a hog in a ditch!"  
  
She laughed for a long time, bit her lip and drew back. There was the glimmer of tears in her eyes from her laughter - the first Draco had ever seen, and in the softest voice he'd ever heard her use, she whispered, "Thank you, Draco. I - I'll treasure that!" Then she swept her hand across her eyes and with another laugh, pulled him to the floor and made him dance with her . . . even though he'd rather give up quidditch forever than to be within the same planet as her . . . though he did have to admit that she was kind of fun to be around . . . and when she smiled like a child with her eyes lit, she actually looked kind of nice . . . sort of, but not really.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Hermione finally stopped her car at the unknown destination and said rather loudly as if cuing something, "All right, you can take off your blindfold now!"  
  
Harry untied his blindfold and smiled at the sight that greeted him, he was at the Burrow, and the whole Weasley family, Hermione, Lupin, and Sirius were there in front of him.  
  
All of them had known that Harry greatly missed all the people he called family and wanted nothing more than to be with them all for Christmas, and so they all had decided to come together for Christmas just for him. "Happy Christmas Harry," said all twelve in unison.  
  
Harry was so happy he didn't know what to say other than, "Thanks you guys, you don't know what this means to me." 


	11. the last day of happiness

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but can I just borrow them for a while?  
  
Well, here is another chapter! I hope you enjoy it, it should be a bit shorter than usual, but other than that, enjoy! And review because I want you to!!! I need to know that people are reading my story!  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Hermione as promised, wrote to Draco often during the two-week vacation. Draco spent all his time after that first night, (which unfortunately did end with intimacy much to Draco's dismay,) researching Hermione's mother. He had found out very little about it, in fact, he had found almost nothing except her birthplace and any odd traits about her, and there were a few of them. For one, Hermione's mother was also gifted with dead languages, even more languages than Hermione. She was talented with magic. Her mother could actually control the elements. She was also telepathic, and telekinetic. All in all, her mother was a sorceress, and Hermione might be one too, but there were three more things that had to happen before Hermione was actually considered a sorceress as well. Hermione's mother was the only sorceress from this century, and there had only been four other sorceresses ever to be recorded in history.  
  
He watched the skies as often as possible so that he could see Harry's snowy white owl because he was hoping to hear something important from Hermione.  
  
The day they were to head back to school, that letter came.  
  
He quickly took the letter from Hedwig and gave her a treat as she flew off, heading back to the Burrow.  
  
He opened the letter excited to see what Hermione had to tell him as always.  
  
Draco,  
  
This might seem kind of odd, but I just found out that I am telepathic and telekinetic. It was really strange how I found out about both of them. Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen cooking and she was thinking about how she needed the salt and that it was too far away and she was about to ask for it when she noticed that it was levitating towards her. I was the only person in the kitchen, and I didn't even realize what I was doing, then she said something about it. Isn't that the strangest thing you've ever heard about? Well, I have to go, Ron's looking this way, and he's been suspicious lately, so I don't want to give him anymore to be suspicious about.  
  
Much love,  
  
Hermione  
  
Well, now there was only one thing left before she was definitely something more than a witch.  
  
His father walked in at that moment and told him that they had to go back to Platform Nine and Three Quarters and so they left.  
  
Draco didn't see Hermione on the train, or when he got back to school.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
When Draco returned at the end of break, Hermione found his presence did nothing to settle the restless spirit she could not shake.  
  
He caught her off guard, coming up behind her in the library. She was totally unaware of his presence when suddenly two strong arms reached around her waist and she was plucked up and whirled around like a child.  
  
When he set her down, breathless and flaming with indignation, he laughed at her, embraced her and gave her a resounding kiss, daring her to be angry.  
  
"You - you mustn't do that!" she protested, her smile threatening to break through the sternness she tried to assume.  
  
"I promise not to," he said with his mischievous grin that made her feel strangely happy. "Not until the next time!"  
  
She broke into laughter, put her hand on his cheek in a rare gesture of affection and said, "You are a fool, Draco Malfoy! The professors will have you up for detention for kissing me in public and you know that."  
  
"If they try to put every fellow in love with a beautiful girl in detention, they'll have to come up with new punishment."  
  
She looked up at him, her face almost translucent, and with a husky quality in her voice she whispered, "Are you Draco Malfoy? Admitting that you are in love with me Hermione Morgan, out loud?"  
  
A dusky flush swept across Draco's refined cheekbones; there was a slight hesitation, then he smiled warmly, and lowered his lips to hers. He pulled her closer to him and brushed his tongue against her lower lip asking for admittance; she complied and let him enter, and their tongues danced, as the passion they felt was unleashed into that one kiss. Then Draco pulled away slightly, out of breath; put his hand on her cheek and said, "Can you doubt it? A man would have to be dead not to love a woman like you!"  
  
She took a sudden deep breath, and then nodded. It was hard for this girl who had kept her emotions under strict control to let them slip, to let the warmth and pure love she felt so deeply raise to her lips. Twice she tried to speak and failed; then she swallowed and said in a whisper, "Do you know what I'm thinking?"  
  
"What sweet?"  
  
She looked full into his face and quoted an ancient script with a passion that leapt out at him like a living thing:  
  
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His mouth is most sweet, yea, he is altogether lovely. He brought me to the banquet house, and his banner over me was love. My beloved is mine, and I am his.  
  
Draco stood there like a man in a trance. There was something so sensual in the words - yet something so pure in Hermione's uplifted face and in her whole attitude that he could not speak.  
  
"That's - that's very beautiful Hermione," he said finally. He dropped his hands, and she saw that the playful spirit had left his face.  
  
"Draco - I embarrassed you!"  
  
"No it's just that - well, I'll have to get accustomed to a woman who makes love out of old poetry and books . . ."  
  
"Draco, did you ever hear the Persian myth about how marriage began?"  
  
"I'm not really up on my Persian mythology to be truthful."  
  
"Well, according to the story, God made a creature in the very beginning. But the creature did a very wicked thing, so God cut his creation right in two pieces and scattered the fragments out into the world."  
  
"Pretty lonesome I'd say," Draco mused. He was fascinated with the piquant animation that stirred her face as she spoke.  
  
"Oh, yes! There were lots of creatures in the world, all torn in two. One part of the creature - according to the story - was man, the other part was woman, and so you see what happened."  
  
"Well, not quite."  
  
"Why, one of the man pieces had to search all over the world to find the piece that fit him - the woman, who had been his other half. And none of the others would do - it had to be the very one."  
  
Draco stared at her, then said soberly, "That's pretty hard doctrine! One man - one woman. No substitutes."  
  
"You don't think love is that way?"  
  
He hesitated, then smiled, saying, "I hope so Hermione. It's a nice thought." 'But it can't be like that . . . you're my other half . . . but I can't have you because of Cecily . . .' he thought, making sure the thought was heavily guarded against Hermione's telepathy.  
  
Author's Note: Okay . . . that was kinda weird, but yeah . . . it was all I could come up with. Well, please review and let me know what you think! 


	12. welcome to hell

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; I do however own the North family.  
  
Well, here's the next chapter . . . I've been planning this one out for a long time and it's going to be kind of angsty kind of dramatic and a LOT cruel and revolting, so if you don't really like this chapter, I'm very sorry, and believe me, I didn't enjoy writing this chapter very much, but I had to for the sake of moving my plot along. And try to bear with it because this is going to be a long chapter. Oh and in this story, Blaise Zabini is going to be a guy, so sorry to the girl Blaise fans out there. Enjoy and please review, constructive criticism will be accepted, no flames though!  
  
Chapter 12 *RAPE WARNING*  
  
Many days had passed since Draco had admitted his love for Hermione. Many days of happiness were to follow that day as Hermione began to realize that she too loved him. And many days of darkness that would consume their growing relationship would come and destroy it wholly as Pansy and Millicent plotted the demise of the fragile love between Hermione and Draco. The two rarely slept as they kept tabs on Hermione making sure they knew her schedule and would find time when she wouldn't be around Draco so that they could go in for the kill.  
  
One day they were sitting in the Slytherin Common Room perfecting their plans so that it would be flawless and they wouldn't get caught in the act. They had finally convinced Blaise Zabini to join the ploy so he was there as well. Several hours went by, slowly and seemingly forever. The clock struck six o' clock and they knew that Hermione should be receiving their note any time now.  
  
It was perfect. Completely perfect.  
  
So flawless was their plan, they had wondered how it had been inspired. Perhaps it was the complete and utter repulsion to Hermione Granger that fueled their ambitions. Or perhaps it was the shame that Draco had brought on their house when he lashed out at Pansy the other day. But they didn't care where it had come from, all they cared now was that, if all went according to plan, Hermione Granger would never be seen or heard from in Hogwarts again . . . At least, she would be too ashamed to show her face in public if all went well because no one, not even the Slytherins, would know who did it or what happened, save themselves of course.  
  
It was time. They all cast identity charms on themselves so that they couldn't be recognized. All they appeared to be was mere silhouettes of people not male, not female . . . just specters of three tall beings; all they sounded like was harsh whispers of wind before a storm.  
  
"All right, let's move out!" said Pansy with excitement that she could barely contain.  
  
They sped down the corridors towards the dungeons that were never used.  
  
"Remember, we can't use our names from here on out or else it's curtains for this little operation!" said Blaise also brimming with excitement for he was to do something to Hermione that was so cruel, that he couldn't wait until his time came.  
  
They reached the classroom that they had told Hermione to come to and hid in the shadows to wait. After a moment of silence they heard distant footsteps. They were timid and light as if she were looking at her surroundings and trying to orient herself so that she would find the appointed classroom.  
  
"Okay, we have three hours max until these charms wear off, so let's get in, have our fun, and get out, then you can have your fun for as long as you want, but then you have to make sure that you get out before your charm wears off," Millicent whispered extremely quietly, first indicating herself and Pansy, then pointing to Blaise.  
  
The trio snuck into the classroom and waited for Hermione to enter.  
  
As she made her way into the classroom, three pairs of hands grabbed her from behind . . .  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Draco and Harry had a bad feeling about this. They were sitting together at dinner (as they had been doing since a week ago,) talking about how Hermione's flashbacks were completely gone, when Hermione had received an anonymous note.  
  
Hermione swore that if she ran into trouble, that she would be able to hex anybody back into the last century, and said that she could handle herself. Then she went off. Though none of them noticed the fact that Hermione's wand lay forgotten at her abandoned place at the table. They just went on talking about what the note could have been for, thinking that Hermione would be fine.  
  
They didn't know that Hermione was in trouble or that Hermione could be hurt in any vast array of inhumane ways.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
A voice had whispered the locking charm so that the door wouldn't be able to be opened unless the counter curse was said. Hermione knew that charm well, but finally realized that she had left her wand back in the Great Hall.  
  
Hermione screamed as four hands shoved her against a wall and a fifth hand clamped over her mouth to silence her cry.  
  
"What's the matter Hermione, afraid that you might be outwitted for once in your life?" said one of the forms in a harsh, raspy voice.  
  
"There's no need to be afraid of us Hermione, we just have something to tell you and then you can leave, if you're a good girl and don't make any noise or interrupt us," said another ghostly form.  
  
Hermione remained silent as the third specter cast a binding charm on her so that she was bound to the wall, immobile from the waist up.  
  
"That's a good girl. Now, for the matter at hand. We regret to inform you Hermione . . ." said the shortest of the forms (which was still about a head taller than she,) as it moved closer and closer to her.  
  
"That that boyfriend of yours, is a liar . . ." said the one of middle height.  
  
The smallest of three shadows moved so close that they could see the fear in Hermione's eyes, "Yes, and that you have been cheated . . ." Its hand moved to Hermione's face and stroked her cheek as it said this.  
  
The mid-sized one moved in closer and reached up a hand to Hermione's shoulder. "He wasn't going to tell you about this, so we thought that we would . . ."  
  
"Draco has a very deep secret that you need to know . . ." said the shortest as its hand moved down to Hermione's other shoulder.  
  
"Because if you didn't know it, he'd be getting away with something so vile, that you would be disgusted with him, having wasted the best years of your life on him . . ." The two hands moved closer to the collar of her robes and took a slight hold of the neckline.  
  
"Yes, and that would be tragic . . ." The hands clenched slightly tighter on her collar.  
  
"So we will tell you for him . . ." Together, the hands slid her robe from her body and tossed it aside, leaving her with just a skirt and a blouse on.  
  
"Your dear sweet Draco is engaged to be married . . ." said the shorter of the two.  
  
"Yes, to a lovely girl named Cecily North . . ." said the other.  
  
"You - you're lying," said Hermione quietly.  
  
The first shadow gave a quiet laugh as it continued, "Lying are we? Dear, dear Hermione, why would we lie to you?"  
  
"Yes, we're just trying to help you Hermione . . ."  
  
"How do you know this?"  
  
"Well, obviously Draco told us this or we wouldn't be telling you now."  
  
"Yes, and Draco wouldn't tell us something like this if it weren't true, now would he?"  
  
"No . . . I suppose not," said Hermione contemplating over the truth of her phantom captors' words.  
  
"Exactly," said the one of mid height.  
  
Planes of anger and distrust etched themselves onto Hermione's sweet and innocent face as she realized that these people were indeed telling the truth about Draco.  
  
"Now Hermione, you haven't been a good girl like we asked you to. We told you not to make a sound, so now you will be punished . . ."  
  
The two phantoms disappeared as the third one moved in closer.  
  
"Dear Hermione, what am I going to do with you?"  
  
"Please don't hurt me," said Hermione in a tiny voice.  
  
"Oh, now that won't be any fun at all! How would you be punished without any pain to go with it?"  
  
Hermione remained quiet, knowing that her cause was lost before it was even out in the open.  
  
"Come now Hermione, it won't be that bad!"  
  
Hermione looked to the ground in front of her as the form moved closer and closer.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Pansy and Millicent walked into the Great Hall looking extremely happy with themselves. Draco then knew that Hermione was in trouble and told Harry that he forgot something in his dorm and would be right back.  
  
He ran straight to where the note had said to meet, and hoped he wouldn't be too late for whatever it was that was happening.  
  
He couldn't bear the thought of Hermione being hurt.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
A hand reached up to the collar of her shirt and ripped it from her body in a swift motion and it landed in a heap on the ground. Next, the hand moved to the hem of her skirt and yanked it off and tossed it next to her shirt in a messy heap. Then the hand shredded her lacy bra and tossed it aside. Then came her panties.  
  
The ghostly figure stood back a moment, "My, my, the poor bastard doesn't know what he's missing."  
  
Then its mouth was covering hers in a rough kiss as it took off its robe and threw it aside.  
  
It moved in closer and Hermione could tell that it was a man from the feel of him against her thigh. His manhood was large, Hermione knew that much. But she still could not tell who this mystery person was.  
  
His hands snaked around her back and pulled her thighs upwards so that they wrapped around his waist and she could feel him at her core. She felt a burning in her that she couldn't understand as his firm manhood was pressed against her entrance; a burning desire to just get it over with . . . but she knew that she also wanted nothing more than for this to just stop. His hands cupped her breasts and he squeezed. Even though this repulsed Hermione, it felt so good to her and she let out an involuntary moan of pleasure from the sensation it caused her body.  
  
"That's what I like to hear Hermione," he said in a rough, husky voice as he readied himself for entrance.  
  
"Stop . . . please stop . . ." she said in a weak voice laced in with a very slight desire to just get it over with.  
  
"I can't stop now because you don't really want me to," he said as he began to push into her.  
  
This caused sensations that Hermione had never felt before as she felt the very first man to enter her, it repulsed and fascinated her. "Stop," she moaned out.  
  
This time he pushed hard and fast, thrusting in and out making sure that she felt pain from her hymen breaking so swiftly.  
  
Hermione felt her virginity break on that first thrust and cried out, "Stop it! Stop! Please!"  
  
It was so painful because he didn't let her get used to him before he began thrusting and so, Hermione began to cry the more that he thrust. Not to mention the fact that this man was above average in size and she wasn't used to any size yet.  
  
She dug her nails into her palms as her upper body was still immobile. "Stop!" she cried again in vain.  
  
He climaxed and spilled into her. Then as quickly as it had all started, he was gone from inside of her.  
  
As soon as he was gone from her, the charm was taken off of Hermione and she fell to the floor crying tears of bitterness and shame. She grabbed her cloak and wrapped it around herself in a pitiful attempt to cover herself since it was the only thing that wasn't ripped. "Welcome to Hell Hermione Granger," said the specter as he grabbed his cloak and left. 


	13. hate you, not love you

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything that has to deal with it in the books, these all belong to the brilliant J. K. Rowlings. I do however own the North family and this particular plot.  
  
Well, that last chapter was quite hard to write, but it will play some minor importance to the plot, which will be revealed later on. I hope you enjoyed it though (not in the sense that you wish it would happen all over again, but in the sense that you can see this is a major twist in the plot.) I will write thank yous to everyone kind enough to review for the last two chapters at the end. This is going to be another long one. Anyways, I'll stop talking now and get on with the story.  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Hermione lay for some time on the floor of the dungeon in violent sobs. All of it had been a lie; Draco couldn't have loved her and not said something about that whole engagement ordeal. Maybe he was playing her for a fool because he obviously didn't care enough to tell her to her face; he had to send people to tell her and rape her and she would never be able to tell who they were. She was extremely angry, maybe even spiteful towards Draco.  
  
And as if that wasn't enough, she had forgotten her wand in the Great Hall so that she couldn't fix her shredded clothes. She made sure that her school robe covered her entirely and stood up shakily only to be met with pain from losing her virginity. She just ignored the pain and made her way slowly towards the door.  
  
Suddenly Draco burst into the room looking concerned. He spotted Hermione and started to smile, but let a shocked expression take its place as he saw the disoriented state in which she was. He moved for her quickly and made to support her, but she swatted his arm away the moment it came into contact with her arm.  
  
"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked quietly looking into her eyes for an answer. He was shocked to meet up with two hazel eyes seething with fury, and sending that anger in his direction.  
  
"As if you didn't know what the bloody hell is wrong. All this time you couldn't just say 'oh, Hermione, I don't mean this in a bad way, but I'm engaged.' Draco, what the hell did you think you were doing, toying with my mind like some cold-blooded prat?" she said, as waves of anger seemed to radiate from her.  
  
"Hermione, what are you going on about?"  
  
"Why don't you ask the three people that were just in here about an hour ago? They seem to be under the impression that you're engaged to some girl that I know is from one of the darkest wizarding families still alive today," Hermione was staring daggers at him as she said this.  
  
Draco made to move towards her, but the moment he was at the proper distance, she slapped with all that she had left. Draco knew she was angry, so he didn't retaliate, but it hurt like hell.  
  
"I can't explain the people because I don't even know what that's all about, but Hermione please hear me ou-"  
  
Hermione was in hysterics at this point, "No Draco, you hear me out! You led me on. I trusted you and you betrayed me. You said you loved me and that you would always love me, and you never even mention the fact that you just happened to be engaged . . . to a Death Eater no less; and you're expecting me to just put it aside, say 'I love you' and pretend that nothing ever happened? No I don't think-"  
  
"Hermione, plea-"  
  
"No Draco, you can't get your way out of this one . . . you really hurt me and I don't think that I can forgive you; ever. You are the most smarmy, self-centered, egotistical bastard I've ever had the misfortune to know. I can't deal with this; it's over! We're through!" she said as she made her way to the door and slammed it behind her. She ran around the corner and broke down; silent sobs wracking through her entire body.  
  
In the matter of about an hour, she had been stripped of her dignity, her happiness, her trust, and most importantly, her belief in the existence of love.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Hermione went into a deep state of depression after the whole incident. The only good thing was that she had been ridded of the flashbacks and wouldn't have to channel anymore. She couldn't bear the thought of having to channel through Dra - no Malfoy - during the day or at night for a moment longer. Harry had helped well enough after that night, but the one person who had really helped her was Justin Finch-Fletchley.  
  
*He had been wandering the halls that night and found Hermione in a state of rage in the hallway near the dungeons. He knew that she had been missing for most of dinner, but hadn't known why.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked timidly.  
  
Hermione jumped at the sound of her name and looked up at him, "What, come to rub it in my face?"  
  
"Hermione what are you talking about?" he asked crouching down next to her with a look of genuine caring etched on his face.  
  
Hermione sat in thought for a moment in regards of whether or not to tell him, "Well, the whole school will probably find out about it anyway, so there's no harm in telling you I suppose. Draco is engaged to a Death Eater named Cecily North. I just broke it off with him."  
  
"Oh, Hermione I'm sorry; I always knew that bloke was too good to be true," said Justin, offering his condolences.  
  
"Thanks," she said looking away from him and drying her eyes on her sleeve.  
  
"It's getting late, do you want me to walk you back to your room?" he asked standing and reaching his hand out to her.  
  
"That'd be great, thanks," she said taking his hand. Together they walked to Hermione's room and then Justin went back to the Hufflepuff Common Room.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Hermione knocked on the edge of the open doorway of Sirius' classroom after lunch on Saturday.  
  
"Hermione, come in!" he said happy that he could finally be with his daughter.  
  
"Thank you . . ." she said walking in quietly.  
  
"I'm sorry about that whole ordeal over Draco," he said seriously.  
  
"It's all right," she said quietly. "That's not the only thing that happened though. . ." she hadn't realized she said this aloud until Sirius looked at her in confusion.  
  
"Why don't you tell me about it?" he said in a paternal way.  
  
Hermione sighed in defeat . . . well, she'd have to tell someone about the two things on her mind, "Well, on the night that I found out about that whole thing, I - I was - raped by someone, and I'll never be able to find out who it was because they cast a Specter Charm on themselves." She added as she saw the horrified look on his face, "But that isn't what's really been bothering me. My - foster father gave me a Christmas present, but I still haven't opened it yet, I still don't know whether I should open it or not."  
  
Sirius moved to put an arm around her shoulder, "That I can help you with; if there's one thing I know about your father, it's that he would rather have his daughter back more than anything in the world, not necessarily to live in his house, but for you to forgive him. It probably kills him that he had done something so heinous, and he really wants to make it up to you even if that's impossible because he wants you to know that he really did love you."  
  
"He told you by floo?" she said more as a statement than a question.  
  
"You know he would," he said smiling like a Cheshire cat. "Why don't you summon the present and open it right here?"  
  
"All right." She took out her wand and said, "Accio present." Moments later a perfectly wrapped little box with a dazzling winter scene and a silver ribbon tied around it.  
  
Hermione took a deep breath and opened it. Inside was a sterling silver box with a fairy engraved on it, it opened to play Carol of the Bells (her favorite Christmas carol,) and on the inside was a marble picture of her as a baby with Sirius, her foster parents, and her real mother. Inside also laid a Christmas card from him. It read:  
  
Mione,  
I don't know just how to say I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you.  
I wanted you to have this because it can remind you of better times,  
when your mother was still alive, and your real father and mother  
were still there and able to be with you, and when I hadn't been such  
a horrible person to you. I know this will probably be the wrong time  
to say this, but I hope that you have found the person with the key to  
the Memoria because they will play an important part in your life.  
Wishing you much success, and a happy life, and love far beyond  
what I could give you,  
Dad  
  
Hermione gave the card to Sirius and looked at the inlaid picture in the box that her foster father had given her. She could now see the two mothers that she would never see again. She smiled slightly as a tear slid silently down her cheek.  
  
Sirius gave a light sigh as he read the line about Draco, knowing fully well that he did play an important life, but that had been screwed up because people couldn't just leave destiny alone, they had to ruin it for everyone.  
  
"Dad?" said Hermione suddenly, still quiet though.  
  
This had caught Sirius off guard, "Yes?"  
  
"Will I ever be able to see my real mother again?" she said looking at him with innocent looking eyes.  
  
The room grew uncomfortably silent as he considered this question, "I don't know Hermione. . . I haven't seen your mother since I was sent off to Azkaban. I'd like to think so though."  
  
Hermione had another question that she had been dying to ask ever since she had found out that he was her father, "How did everything change for you and my mum and everything in the wizarding world change with it?"  
  
"I'm not exactly sure what your asking, but I think you mean, why is there no record of me before I was put in the Wizarding Witness Protection Program?" She nodded and he continued, "It involved some very advanced magic really. I really did go to Hogwarts when I was younger, but I went by Irvine back then. When I met your mother in my seventh year, we got married and later on, she had you around the month after Harry was born. Then they came and changed our names, and everything that had my original name on it was changed so that it was my new name. And that family tree that was at Grimauld Place actually didn't have my name on it, but the place that was zapped off had the name of a dead son who had disgraced the family, so I could easily say that that was my spot. Any pensive that had my name in it was modified and any person that had known my original name was given a memory charm so that they would remember me as Sirius Black. Everyone except Dumbledore because he is my secret keeper for the Program that came up with the idea of using our middle names in the program."  
  
"I see. Well that really cleared things up," said Hermione taking in everything that he had just said. "Thank you for telling me about that."  
  
"No problem," he said with a smile.  
  
They spent the rest of that afternoon talking about Hermione's real mother.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Hermione walked outside as the sun was setting, to think about everything that she had learned that day. She felt really warm out there even though it was quite cold outside, but she didn't care.  
  
She walked over by the lake and thought of how nice it would be to watch the water rippling with the wind, then a wind began to blow and the surface of the water was rippling gently. She found it odd that that would happen, but paid it no mind as she continued to think about what Sirius had told her. She didn't even notice as first Harry came out the door towards her and hid in the bushes near by, and then Draco came straight towards her.  
  
She heard as footsteps came nearer and nearer, and looked up to see who caused the sudden noise in the still of the silence. It was Draco, Hermione began to walked away as Draco called to her, "Hermione!"  
  
She stopped and turned around to face him. "What the hell do you want?" she asked crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
"I just wanted you to tell me that you hate me rather than me just knowing that you hate me."  
  
She stared at him, and her face grew agitated. "I - I don't know what you mean."  
  
"It sticks out like a sore thumb!" he snapped. Taking her arm in a strong grasp, he said, "You've hated me from the second you found out what happened, which by the way, couldn't be changed!"  
  
She grew pale in the fading light, and the streak of honesty that ran deep in her surfaced. "Yes! And I always had before this year and I always will!" Then tears filled her eyes and she broke his grasp and ran sobbing along the grounds, nearly stumbling over a stump.  
  
"Nicely done, old boy!" Draco nodded. He kicked viciously at a moss- covered log, and the pain gave him a savage sense of delight. He stared at the figure of the sobbing girl fading into the twilight and shook his head.  
  
"Why shouldn't she hate me? She can't despise me any more than I despise myself!" he said quietly to himself, not realizing that Harry heard it and every word of the conversation to begin with.  
  
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the drama. Anyways, here are the thank yous for chapter 11 (12)  
  
Eminem-Chick2 - I agree, being telepathic and telekinetic would be cool. Thank you!  
  
Miss Tryst - thank you muchly!  
  
LinNicole - I was apprehensive at first when I was writing that whole scene with Hermione and her father because I wasn't sure where my fingers were taking that whole thing. You flatter me! I'm going to hopefully do a lot more with the relationship between Sirius and Hermione, and as you can see I've begun that attempt in this chapter, I hope you liked it. Thank you!  
  
And here are the thank yous for chapter 12 (13)  
  
Lady-Sanctuary - thank you! I'm hopefully going to be able to update a bit more now because Cross Country is almost over. Hopefully this was good for getting rid of the suspense!  
  
Theophania - You're right, they're doomed! I don't like them either, and something will hopefully happen to them. And it was supposed to happen, and I know it's really mean to do to Hermione . . . my mum sometimes wonders if I've gone bonkers because of the fact that I seem to always have bad things happen to Hermione . . . but what can I say, I'm a drama queen! I'll try to make it better for Hermione though!  
  
InsanitySquirrel321 - I also feel sorry for Hermione in this. I will try to update more frequently. Thanks!  
  
Awwwwwww - I agree! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Hotdevelettefire - Thank you lots!  
  
Akawsha - I hope I explained this well enough, but I have a question: what does AU mean? I hope you enjoyed this! Thank you!!! 


	14. falling apart

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, I own the North family and the plot ONLY! No money is being made off of this and you'd be mad to think that I was J. K. Rowlings because I'd be selling this stuff if I was and it wouldn't go on a site where I just maybe hope for some reviews. Oh well . . .  
  
I'm trying to get this out as fast as I can because I've just gotten a LOT of inspiration . . . mainly my school nurse saying I've got mental problems and that I need to have them checked (for Christ sake, you'd think a school nurse would stick to her job of giving you your medicine so you don't die in her office . . . rather than lecturing you for half an hour saying that you need to get help because all of these allergies causing life threatening problems are all in your head . . .) so I'm venting off my frustration on her. So yeah, anyways, on with the story! This is the longest chapter I've ever written! Over 3000 words I believe! Please review!  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Harry went straight to Hermione after that scene that he had witnessed outside. He had to know what had happened to cause all of this, he was certain that Draco and Hermione were meant for each other, and he sure as hell was going to get to the bottom of this whole mess if it killed him.  
  
Harry walked to Hermione's room in search of her, but his search was in vain for she was not there. Next he tried Gryffindor Tower in hopes that she may be there and unfortunately she was not there. So he went to the only other place she could have been, the library.  
  
Harry pushed the doors open lightly and peeked into the library to see if Madame Pince was in sight of the doors, she wasn't and so he entered hastily and made his was to Hermione's favorites retreat in the library. He walked over to where the tables were and took an abrupt turn to the right and headed off to the dark corner near the bookshelf edge in which there was a bay window with a cushioned seat. Surely enough, Hermione was there looking up at the stars in the night sky with her copy of Hogwarts, A History opened on her lap. She gave an audible sigh and closed her eyes as a tear slid down her cheek.  
  
"Hermione?" asked Harry tentatively.  
  
Hermione stayed wrapped up in her silence as Harry approached her. She had known that Harry was in there the moment he walked in; she had sensed his thoughts the moment they were in the library hall. She didn't want to talk at the moment.  
  
"Hermione, I know you can hear me," said Harry still quietly as he approached her.  
  
She looked out to the lake as he stood next to her and remained in her peaceful aura. She knew that he wanted to know what was going on and she didn't want to explain if she didn't have to.  
  
"Well, if you're not going to talk, then you can listen." Usually she wouldn't listen to something that someone had to say to her . . . something was definitely wrong.  
  
Harry sat down in front of her and continued on, "Hermione, you can't just shut everything out of your life. That's not going to make it better and you know it; it never helps because you just bottle it up until you can't take it any more then you just explode or go to another extreme. Hermione, you can't live you life like this . . . pretending that nothing is wrong but really letting it take its control over you and your decisions. I did that just after Sirius had died, but the very fact that I was too depressed and shut everyone out of my life caused me to almost miss the solution to the problem because I had let it take a hold over me. You helped me out of that and so did Ron, but in the end it was really my choice to give it up and to find the way to bring Sirius back to life. If you give it up now, you can go on with your life without losing too much of it to gain back. Hermione, you can tell me what's going on with that Justin bloke because people are starting to say that the two of you have been dating, and Dra -"  
  
Hermione snapped at the mere mention of Malfoy, "What the hell do you know? Damnit Harry, you can't always be the hero! You don't have to know everything that is going on in my life just because I've had a couple of off days this week. Why are you trying to pry into my private life when you don't even know the matters that you are meddling in? Harry you are so damn self-centered!" She slapped him as hard as she could, which wasn't a very hard blow because she had been so drained. She beat her fists against his chest in anger over the truth of his words. She then put her hands to her face and broke down into sobs. Harry pulled her to him and run a comforting hand up and down her back. Her tears stained his shirt as she cried over the past few days of confusion and hopelessness that she had experienced.  
  
"Harry I'm so sorry! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry . . ." she choked out as she'd realized just what she had said and done just then.  
  
"Mione, it's all right. Shhh, it's okay." Harry hated to see Hermione in such a fragile state; it meant that the problem that she was suffering from was extremely bad because she usually put up a front in the face of her problems. 'I just wish that she would trust me enough to tell me what is troubling her,' he thought.  
  
"Harry, it's not that I don't trust you, I just can't tell you about it because I'm not ready. And don't say that you didn't say that because to me, thinking is the same as speaking if it's unguarded," said Hermione knowing that Harry was think that statement and not actually saying it aloud.  
  
"I'm sorry Mione," said Harry, temporarily having forgotten about her powers.  
  
"Oh Harry, what am I going to do? I can't very well just let it go, but I know I can't hold on to the problems in my life if I want to live a healthy life."  
  
"Well, I think that you should focus on letting go when you know you would be able to talk about it; that doesn't mean you have to, but you know that you would be able to."  
  
"That would work in theory, except I already told Sirius about the problem, but it didn't help at all."  
  
"Well . . . then you just have problems now don't you?" Harry said sarcastically.  
  
Hermione pushed him playfully and said, "Very funny; what ever am I to do with you? You can never be serious for too long any more."  
  
"Well, laughter is the best kind of medicine there is, wasn't it you that told me to lighten up a bit during sixth year because I was too serious?"  
  
"I know, it'll just take me some time to get over it, and I promise that I'll talk to Sirius about it and when I'm ready, I'll tell you," she said looking straight at him.  
  
"That's my Mione," he said stroking his thumb over her cheek.  
  
Hermione smiled slightly at this. "Thanks Harry," she said as she hugged him then kissed his cheek lightly.  
  
"Hey, that's what friends are for."  
  
They decided to go sit by the lake for the rest of the afternoon and chat about nothing in general to keep Hermione's mind off of her problems.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Justin had seen Hermione and Harry walk out to the lake and gave some serious thought to what he wanted to do. With determination, he walked out onto the front lawn and walked to the lake.  
  
As he approached them, Harry and Hermione looked up at him.  
  
"Yeah Justin?" asked Harry kind of coldly. He really didn't like the fact that he was ruining the relationship of Hermione and Draco.  
  
Justin was not deterred in the least by the slight display of hostility, "Hermione, can I talk to you please?"  
  
"Sure Justin," said Hermione getting up and giving Harry the shut-it-or- I'll-hex-you look.  
  
So they walked away to a secluded part by the lake. Justin was rapidly losing his nerve the longer they walked in silence.  
  
Finally he stopped and finally looked Hermione in the eye. "Hermione, I have something that I need to ask you," he started.  
  
"Yes, what is it Justin?" asked Hermione catching on to his nervousness.  
  
"Well . . . I was wondering if . . ."  
  
"If?"  
  
"Ifoodmrymeaftrgraduation," he spat out quickly.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked in utter confusion. All she had heard of the slurred words was the word graduation.  
  
Justin took a deep breath and began slowly, "Hermione, I really like you, more than I've ever liked anyone. I was wondering if maybe you would consider marrying me after we graduate. You don't have to answer me right away, you can answer me whenever you like."  
  
"Justin, you're a really nice person and all, but I don't know if I would really ever consider marriage now."  
  
He put his fingers to her lips to silence her, "Hermione, just please say you'll think about it."  
  
He gently lowered his lips to hers in a soft kiss; their first kiss. "All right I'll think about it," she said as his lips pulled away and she opened her eyes. She pulled slightly away from him. "I've got to go Justin."  
  
"All right, I'll see you later, and please remember to think about it," he said as she walked into the Great Hall.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Hermione made sure to try and avoid anybody except Harry and Sirius because they were the only ones that seemed to understand that she was having some serious problems. This tactic had worked quite well for a while. Harry would go with her to the library, Hermione would go with him to Quidditch practice, and she would hang out with Sirius whenever Harry needed to be alone for something.  
  
This unfortunately did not entirely work though because one day she was caught alone outside because Harry was ill, Sirius was grading tests, and Hermione needed some air because she was done with her homework and wasn't tired enough to go to bed.  
  
Draco was not aware of the fact that Hermione was outside, but he needed to get some air and to be away from those bumbling idiots down in the Slytherin Common Room. He decided that a nighttime stroll to clear his mind of things. Then he saw her . . . Hermione out by the lake by herself. He knew that she hated him, but he needed to talk to her about something that had been bothering him.  
  
"Hermione!" he called about twenty yards from her.  
  
Hermione looked up and then went rigid as she saw Draco walking toward her. "What the hell do you want?"  
  
"I needed to know something that only you can tell me."  
  
"Well, get on with it then because I don't have all evening."  
  
He looked her directly in the eyes as he said, "What is going on between you and that Justin guy?"  
  
She looked at him squarely, and there was a determined set to her jaw. Leaning back against the bark of tree she was near and she made up her mind about Justin's proposal, and she said, "I'm marrying Justin Finch- Fletchley."  
  
"I see." He stood there waiting, for he knew she had taken the opportunity to tell him. The water splashed on the shore of the lake, and there was a salty tang in the wintry air. The lights in the castle cast flickering gleams over the grounds, and her face looked like an Indian mask - planed down to the simple carves and hollows.  
  
"You love him?" he asked finally. He did not miss the quick response that swept over her face - not disgust, but distrust that hardened the soft hazel eyes.  
  
"I respect him; he's a good person."  
  
"You could say that about Dumbledore or Flitwick for Christ's sake and I should hope you're not planning to marry them any time soon! Is that enough for you - respect?"  
  
"It's better than I got from you!" she cried out, and despite her intention to keep her emotions under control, anger raced through her as she faced him. "I got love from you, didn't I? Kisses and promises that made my head swim! Oh, what a fool I was because what I didn't get from you was respect!"  
  
He bowed his head, taking the force of her wrath, as he would submit to a rightful judgment. But he could not let it all go.  
  
"All right, I was wrong - I've admitted that. But I want to tell you two things, Hermione Terra Morgan."  
  
"What could you tell me that I would possibly want to hear?"  
  
"When I first came back after meeting Cecily, whom I was obligated to marry, it was all a hoax because I didn't want you to have to go through the pain of having someone who loved you being the one who destroyed your heart! Then I got to realizing that I needed to end one of the relationships, but by that time someone probably happened to tell you what was going on when I had fully intended on choosing you - it wasn't a pretense."  
  
She laughed harshly and then said mockingly, "Oh don't tell me that you were really going to pick me over your whore! I'm not as gullible as I was then Draco!"  
  
He shrugged and said, "All right, think what you will, but I'm telling you the truth. The other thing, Hermione, is that even if I am the world's biggest hypocrite and liar, that's no excuse for you to run away from love."  
  
"You don't know what love is!"  
  
"I know one thing - love is not cold!"  
  
A streak of anger ran through him, and he caught her wrist as she turned to leave. "You can't bear the truth, can you? But you're going to hear it this once!"  
  
"Let go of me!"  
  
He ignored all of her struggles and taking her other arm, held her fast. "Rogue I am and will probably always be, Hermione - liar, traitor, manslayer! But I tell you this one thing, when I kissed you in the hall that day, it was not treason! It was the beginning of something I'd never known. I'd kissed other women, some almost as beautiful as you, but there's something in you that held me!" He forced himself to speak quietly, but there was intensity in his smoky gray eyes that held her fixated in his grasp.  
  
"You are a woman of morality and logic," he continued. "But you are flesh and blood, as you found out when I kissed you. Can you deny it?"  
  
She whispered, "You taunt me with that?"  
  
"No! You were honest then - but you are not now."  
  
"I am!"  
  
He shook her like a reed and said passionately, "You are not! How can you be honest and marry a man you don't even love? Marriage is not spirit; it's flesh and blood Hermione! And you were more honest then than you are now."  
  
"It's a lie!" she whispered. "I don't want that sort of thing!"  
  
He suddenly pulled her closer, saying, "You're afraid of love - that's why you're afraid of me now!"  
  
She braced herself against him, her face pale in the flickering yellow lights of Hogwarts. Desperately she cried out, "I'm not! I'm not afraid of love - not of you either!"  
  
He had no hopes, but he had a strong memory of her from the past, fragrant and clear as a flower. He would never have her, but he hated to see her turn into a dry-lipped, sour person. He pulled her forward until the soft curves of her body pressed against him, and whispered, "Is this what you're afraid of Hermione?" and then he gathered her closer until they made one shadow on the ground. (Author's Note: get your minds out of the gutter here if you're thinking something that I didn't say!!!)  
  
She uttered one short cry before his lips silenced her, and she beat his back with her fists, but she might as well have beaten on a rock. Furiously she struggled, kicking at his legs with all her might, but he swung her around and trapped her against the tree so that she could not move.  
  
His lips were hard against hers, and there was no gentleness in him. His muscular arms pulled her even closer and she stopped struggling. Her hands rose involuntarily and rested on his neck, and she was aware of nothing but the pressure of his lips and the warmth of his body against hers.  
  
Then he lifted his head, and whispered, "Never be afraid of what you are feeling right now."  
  
She came to herself with a jerk, and her cheeks flushed as she pushed him away. With a trembling voice she said, "You're stronger than I am - that's - that's all you've proved! You think all you have to do is touch a girl, and no matter who she is, she'll fall in love with you!" She was close to tears, but she bit her lip and made herself say coldly, "I've asked you to leave me alone, and you take advantage of me the first chance you get. Is there no honor in you, Draco Malfoy?"  
  
He saw that she was locked in, incapable of understanding anything he might say. He nodded once, and said, "Don't marry a man who can't make you angry - or one who can't stir your blood."  
  
"I'm marrying Justin Finch-Fletchley," she said steadily. "Please don't ever make any of your foolish advances to me again!"  
  
"I can promise you that," he said quietly. He stepped back, and she walked back to the castle, walking unsteadily up the stairs to the door and out of his life.  
  
She had to tell Justin of her decision before another thing happened. She started to run to the Hufflepuff Common Room, but didn't have to go all the way because she conveniently ran into him (literally.)  
  
Helping her off her feet Justin asked, "Hermione, are you all right?" She nodded, but then Justin noticed the oddity of the situation, "What are you doing all the way up here at this time of night?"  
  
"Justin I had to tell you something important and I needed to get it off my chest as soon as I could."  
  
"Yes, what is it?" he asked quickly, hoping that she was referring to her answer to his question.  
  
"I have thought and thought about it almost constantly and I have reached my decision about your proposal."  
  
"Yes?" Justin was waiting with baited breath as Hermione built up the anticipation and was drawing the last moments out painfully slow.  
  
"I've decided that . . . I . . . I will marry you."  
  
"You will?" Justin's face had lit up like Christmas was coming early this year at hearing her words.  
  
"I will."  
  
"Oh Hermione! You don't know how happy you've made me!" he exclaimed as he hugged her tightly to him and then kissed her cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry, but that's all I came to do because I need to be off to bed now . . . I'm dreadfully tired, but now I can sleep in peace."  
  
"All right. Goodnight my sweet Hermione," he said and then gave her a light peck on the lips.  
  
"Pleasant dreams Justin," said Hermione somewhat monotonously as she began to walk away, Justin either didn't notice her tone, did and took it as she was tired, or noticed it and didn't say anything about it.  
  
As Hermione entered her room about three and a half minutes later she thought to herself, 'What have I gotten myself into?'  
  
Author's Note: I know that some of you might be getting really pissed off about now because Hermione just did what she did, but fear not, what is supposed to happen, will happen. I'm going to do thank yous in the next chapter, so if you want me to answer a question or something, try to get in you reviews before I post the next chapter!  
  
LinNicole, one of my most faithful reviewers, brought an important point into my view in chapter 13 so I thought I would answer her review right now. I know that in chapter 12, Hermione was raped and that I really haven't focused on that issue yet. I believe that rape is a really serious problem and that it should not be taken lightly, I'm sorry if I offended anyone with not addressing that topic. I was planning to do that in a later chapter, but when I read your review LinNicole, I felt that I should put something about how Hermione was affected by being raped, and I hope that that little section with Harry helps give everyone just a glimpse at how Hermione really feels about having been raped by someone that she will never be able to bring to justice (which is why this chapter is so long.) I thank you for being one of my most loyal readers, you don't know how much that swells my head up with pride (metaphorically speaking,) and it's great to know that you have taken the time to read my story.  
  
Anyways, please review, give me any thoughts or suggestions that you may have, and I will see what I can do! 


	15. DA reinstated

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; I do own the North family however.  
  
Well here is the next chapter. I will put thank yous at the end. Please review!  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Dumbledore was sitting in his office late in the evening doing some paper work and sucking on a lemon drop. He knew the goings on at the school though he would never admit how he knew any of this. Someone had just told him that she would be visiting the school on the morrow and staying for a while and he looked forward to her visit very much. He wasn't sure why he was still up, but he knew that he needed to be; a premonition of sorts if you would.  
  
Suddenly there was a flicker in the fireplace and it sprung to life. Dumbledore looked into the fireplace as the flames began to take on form. His usually twinkling eyes hardened as he saw the shape in the fireplace . . .  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
"Students I have an announcement! Please quiet down," said Professor McGonagall.  
  
Professor McGonagall looked as the though world may be coming to an end as she stood in the front of the great hall at breakfast. Everyone immediately quieted down as they saw the seriousness of her face.  
  
"Now, some of you may have noticed that the Headmaster is not here." A light murmur spread throughout the hall as she said this, "Quiet Down! This is a very serious matter. Now, I do not know all of the details, but what I do know is that Headmaster Dumbledore is currently at a magic school in Latvia right now talking to their Headmaster. He has informed me that we must reinstate the D. A. at once. Now some of you do not know what that is, it is a secret defense group that met two years ago for the soul purpose of studying Defense Against the Dark Arts. It stands for Dumbledore's Army, and that will be exactly what it will be, an army. In each of your first classes today you can sign up to join, today will be the only day that you may join. If you aren't sure about this, you absolutely MUST make up your mind by that time."  
  
By this time everyone was in confusion and talked loudly as they began discussing the matter and what might be causing this to happen.  
  
"Students, you must be quiet if you wish for me to finish!" began McGonagall tight lipped. "The reason for this sudden turn of events is that Voldemort . . . came to Professor Dumbledore last night and declared war upon the school. I don't want to give you any false information to make this seem less severe or give any of you false hope; Voldemort . . . has said that he will be using all of his Death Eaters in various parts of the world. So yes, this will mean that you will be up against adult wizards and witches who can and will use any means necessary to win, and that this will not be easy. I do not even know that we will be able to survive against these odds because there may be as many as five Death Eaters to every person fighting if everyone signs up. We need all the help that we can get, but we will not hold it against you if you decide against it. I know that some of you will not want to be involved in fighting and so we will also need to have some of you that are good with healing charms and medicine to be medi-witches and wizards to come with us, and also some of them to stay here and work in the hospital wing. That will be all," she said and then sat down. The Great Hall went into a state of panic and worry as people thought about and made up their minds about joining D. A.  
  
Harry and Hermione looked at each other at the end of the announcement and nodded as they stood up and left the Great Hall together.  
  
"Harry, you know that we probably wont survive a war of this scale, right?" asked Hermione as they walked towards their first class; Defense Against the Dark Arts.  
  
"I know Mione, but we at least have to try or else we've already failed. We should ask Sirius if he could help us decide what to do about this."  
  
"You mean you don't know if you're going to join, but Harry you have to, you have to do this in order to defeat Voldemort!"  
  
"Not me Mione, you."  
  
"What are you talking about? Of course I'm going to join it!"  
  
"Mione, it's too risky, and besides, they might need you here," said Harry trying to word it carefully.  
  
Finally, they arrived at the DADA room. They both walked inside since the door was open, but did not expect to see what was there.  
  
There was a woman standing in there talking to Sirius, but her back was to them, so they couldn't see whom it was. Sirius noticed them walk in the room and suddenly his face lit up, "Harry, Hermione, I was wondering if you'd show up early. Listen, there's someone that I want you to meet."  
  
The woman that they had seen upon entering the room turned around to face them and immediately, Hermione knew who it was, "Mum?"  
  
"Yes Hermione, this is your real mother; Trista Black, or now known as Olga Romanov."  
  
"Hello Hermione, there's so much to say, I don't even know where to start. Although I should say now that I changed my name back to Arabella Morgan when I got back to England."  
  
"Mum, what happened to you? Dad said that he never saw you after Azkaban."  
  
"Well, unfortunately our secret was discovered and I had to be relocated to Russia and given a new identity, but they only found out about me because that family tree didn't happen to have my name or a blasted spot on it and they put two and two together like only the Ministry of Magic can, and figured that one of us was lying and that it was me. No one knows about any of this other than the fact that I died when Sirius was sent to Azkaban, but they never knew that I was just moved elsewhere. I heard about Sirius death and then I really thought that I needed to find you so that I could watch over you and help you. I only just found out that Sirius was somehow brought back to life. I must congratulate you on that, I was so upset when I found out that he was dead, you don't know how happy it makes me to find out that he is alive and well. We found it ironic that we thought each other was dead when we were alive."  
  
"Though I was dead for a while there. They had only just brought me back to life at the end of their sixth year."  
  
"And you weren't kidding when you said that our young Harry looks almost exactly like James."  
  
"No I wasn't."  
  
"Look at us here, just talking as if the two of you weren't here. I should properly introduce myself to you both, I am your real mother Hermione, and Harry, I am your Godmother."  
  
"Pleased to meet you," they said in unison.  
  
"Oh, there's no need to be so formal, come and give me a hug, I don't bite!" she said jovially.  
  
So each of them gave her a hug and then stood back both having resumed a look of purpose on their faces as if saying that they had something they needed to discuss.  
  
"I've a feeling that the two of them have something they need to discuss with you Sirius," she said knowingly.  
  
"How did you know?" asked Hermione.  
  
"I will tell you that another time, when you are ready, perhaps after this conversation because I think that this conversation will probably need me to explain so at some point."  
  
"All right. Dad, we need to know what you would have us do in the upcoming war between the school and Voldemort," said Hermione resolutely.  
  
"Well, it's obvious that Harry has to go because he has been predestined for it basically," said Sirius avoiding the subject of Hermione.  
  
"I knew that, but what about me, I am going to sign up too, but Harry said that I shouldn't go."  
  
Sirius looked uncomfortable as he began, "Well, Hermione . . . I hate to say this, but Harry is right. Although, I know that we could use your skills here in the hospital wing when it begins."  
  
"What! Why though? I'm just as good as everyone else and you know that, and you can't say it's because I'm your daughter and you'll worry because Harry is basically your son and that excuse won't work." They could see Hermione's temper slowly rising.  
  
"Hermione, I know you're just as good as everyone else, but there are reasons that I can't let you go," said Sirius trying to keep her calm.  
  
"Reasons? What reasons? I don't see any reason in allowing everyone else in this school and probably another school to fight and not allowing me the same chance to fight for my family and friends too."  
  
"Hermione what were trying to say is that there is a certain reason that you can't go," said Harry.  
  
"Is there something that all of you aren't telling me about because it sure as hell seems that you are all on the same page with this decision."  
  
"I'll take it from here if the two of you wouldn't mind," began Arabella. "Hermione, you know how I knew the two of you had something you wanted to discuss with Sirius? Well, like you I am a telepathic. I believe that both Harry and Sirius and also a Mr. Draco Malfoy, have all figured out what exactly is going on."  
  
Hermione became cold at the mention of Draco, "Well, why don't you enlighten me because I'm not seeing a point to this at all."  
  
"Be patient Hermione dear -"  
  
"I am being patient!" she yelled.  
  
"What has been happening to you since the beginning of this year? Well, you've found out that you have special powers. You can fluently read and speak many languages. You are a telepath, and also a telekinetic. And one thing that you probably never even noticed before is that you can control the elements."  
  
"No, I've never controlled the elements," said Hermione defiantly.  
  
"Yes you have Mione. Remember that day that you told Draco you hated him? You were saying how nice it would be if the wind were blowing so the water would ripple. You probably didn't even notice that you'd said it aloud, but I heard it. Then the wind began to blow because you'd wanted it to. Also, whenever the Common Room of Gryffindor tower got cold while you were in there, the fire would suddenly grow and become warmer because you'd said how you wished it were warmer. The weather as of late has been completely based off of what you wanted," said Harry.  
  
Hermione ignored the fact that Harry had been around while she had told Draco that she hated him. He was probably trying to protect her anyways. "But, what does that have to do with me not going?"  
  
"Hermione, have you ever read up on your family history? I know Draco has and that he told Harry because that's what Harry just thought . . . sorry Harry, but my telepathy is so strong that I accidentally read people's thoughts sometimes. Anyways, if you had read up on my side of the family you'd know that every magical woman in my family becomes a sorceress by their eighteenth year. The reason you need to stay is so that you can get your powers under control before they kill you. And that's why I came here is so that I could help you learn to use them properly. Also, if Voldemort were to learn that a sorceress were there, he would instantly kill you because you alone could wipe out half of his army with your powers alone and that poses a threat to him and yourself."  
  
"But I want to help," Hermione said dejectedly.  
  
"You will help by staying here and helping those that are too injured to stay there, and by learning to control your powers. Hermione imagine if we did let you go; if Voldemort killed you, which he would, that would effect all of our soldiers because so many of the people at this school care very deeply about you and your loss would be terrible. Imagine if you died how badly that would hurt the three of us in here. I don't mean to sound selfish, but you need to know just how bad a decision like this could affect everyone else you care about. You staying here will help because the school is a safety zone in which you cannot be hurt."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Thank you for being willing to listen Hermione, I know it's not easy to hear that you can't do something that you believe is right."  
  
"I'm sorry for getting mad at everyone," said Hermione as though it had just occurred to her that she'd been yelling at them.  
  
"It's ok Hermione, we understand that you're frustrated with all of this," said Sirius.  
  
"Oh, I also have something else that I need to tell you!" said Arabella as a thought had just occurred to her. "I spoke with Professor Dumbledore yesterday evening and told him that I would be coming. I know you might not be ready for this yet, but it is time that we let the school know of who you really are. It is important that they know why you can't be there in the war because people talk and say some pretty bad things when you don't show up for something."  
  
"So are you saying that when Dumbledore gets back, we're letting the school know that I am a pureblood sorceress?"  
  
"In basic terms, yes."  
  
"All right, it's about time that that happens," said Hermione.  
  
"Well, until that time, I am going to have to be staying in a guest bedroom that Professor Dumbledore has graciously offered me, right next to Sirius' living quarters," she said as she began to exit the room having looked at the clock and realizing that she had ten minutes to get there so people didn't see her. "I'll see you all later."  
  
"Goodbye," they all said.  
  
"So Sirius, where is that list so we can sign up for D.A.?" asked Harry.  
  
"I was wondering when you'd ask," he said as he grabbed the sheet of parchment and a quill.  
  
Harry signed his name to the paper indicating that he would be fighting and handed it to Hermione who wrote that she would work in the hospital wing and be staying.  
  
"Great! Now hopefully, we'll have most of the school sign up because we will be in trouble otherwise."  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Draco went to his first class as quickly as he could when the bell rang. He stepped into McGonagall's classroom where he was having double Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws. Everyone was in their seat as Professor McGonagall walked into the room. She quickly silenced everyone and then said, "I will put the sign-up sheet on the wall, if you're going to join, please indicate where you would like to work most." She flicked her wand and then a parchment showed up on the wall in the back of the class.  
  
Eight of the Ravenclaws got up immediately and went to sign the parchment. They sat down, all looking grim. About a minute later a group of three Ravenclaw girls got up and went to the back to sign up. Ten minutes later all of the Ravenclaws had signed up and not one Slytherin had moved from his or her chair.  
  
Draco looked around and cursed his luck for having to be seated in the front of the class. He stood up slowly and walked to the back of the class earning glares from the Slytherins and gasps from the Ravenclaws. Professor McGonagall looked entirely unphased as he made his way towards the back.  
  
Draco lifted the quill up and sealed his fate as he wrote: Draco Malfoy; fighter.  
  
Author's Note: Yeah, I know there was a lot of nothing going on in this chapter and it seems to just keep changing and changing, but there will be a point to all of this. And now to write the thank yous!  
  
Catherinecat20() - Thank you, I've been trying constantly to make my chapters longer because they were just done with way too quickly. I hope this is soon enough!  
  
Eminem-Chick2 - I feel sorry for Hermione too, I have the plot entirely planned out so that there are 22 chapters, and I'm not going to say exactly what will happen between Draco and Hermione. The only thing I'll say is that a lot can happen in 7 chapters.  
  
Awwwwwww() - Thank you muchly :D  
  
LinNicole - Yeah I know that Justin stuff kind of came out of thin air, but there will be some kind of point to all of this having happened. I'll tell you the same thing I told Eminem-Chick2, I'm planning on 22 total chapters and a lot can happen in 7 chapters! You're welcome and thank you!  
  
Catherinecat20 - Thank you! Thank you! You're too kind!  
  
Metropolitanrubbish - I'll see what I can do, but my plot is pretty planned out, if I do put in anything like that, it may be changed a little bit. Thanks for your suggestion! 


	16. what do you mean no wands?

Disclaimer: No really! I DON'T own Harry Potter! I own the North family and the plot.  
  
This really pisses me off because I had written this chapter out four days ago, but my computer froze and I never got the chance to save it so it got erased and I had to write it again. And it took me a freaking hour to write!!! Grrrrrrr. Anyways, enjoy and review please this is going to be the longest chapter so far!  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Dumbledore was back about ten minutes before classes started and looked dark and weary from all that was going on. He opened the doors and saw the woman that he had been excited to see once again. "Arabella, welcome back to Hogwarts!" he said, a big smile lighting up his tired face as he hugged his old friend.  
  
"It's great to be back!" she said receiving his hug happily.  
  
"I trust your trip was safe?" he asked stepping back and letting his features be taken with a smile again.  
  
"Yes. How was yours Albus?"  
  
Again his countenance became dark and weary.  
  
"Albus, what's wrong?" asked Arabella looking at him concernedly.  
  
"I'm afraid that things are not going quite as planned."  
  
"How do you mean?"  
  
"I am sure that you are aware of an upcoming war between the school and Voldemort's side? Well, it is unfortunate that I must say this, but I do not know that Hogwarts will survive even if I have gotten the support of Latvia's School of Magic."  
  
"Latvia?"  
  
"Yes, Latvia. Latvia has a wonderful school and it is the only chance we have to survive the war."  
  
"But with our schools combined, we only have a possible total of one thousand students and even then, the children would be outnumbered four or five to one, and they wouldn't pass up the chance to use the Killing Curse. And Latvia doesn't exactly focus as much on magic as they do on fighting and healing."  
  
"Yes, and that would be bad were it not for the fact that no one will be using magic."  
  
"You mean that there will be no magic?" Arabella looked confused at this odd turn of events.  
  
"Oddly enough, Voldemort thought that it would be better if only he and Harry were allowed to use magic and is forbidding magic from anyone else. So we will have to rely on fighting, potions and muggle first aid. We will send the worst injuries back to the school to be treated here, but other than that, this school will have to learn the muggle way."  
  
"So that's why you enlisted their help! But Albus, that is not a very long time for the students to learn. The Death Eaters are masters with the sword and dagger. We'd only be putting Hogwarts at risk for total annihilation in the event that we tried."  
  
"Yes I know, but it is our only option. I know of your concern for the students. But you have to remember that if we don't at least try then we have already failed. Even if we were destroyed in the attempt, we would die fighting for what is right. Latvia will be sending all of its students tomorrow so that everyone going can start training immediately. That is the best we can do though. Now, on another note, how would you like to deal with you and your family's reintroduction to the wizarding world?"  
  
Arabella looked slightly taken aback by how sudden he had changed the subject. "How would you go about this Albus?"  
  
"Well, I would just tell everything, minus the Program and how you were reunited, because you know how this school is with its gossip network. If we didn't tell everything then things might happen that wouldn't be good for you or your family."  
  
"Right. Well, I will be going now because you know that the first hidden passage near my room is on the second floor and students will begin to wonder. But before that I will pay a little visit to Sirius if I may?" she asked turning towards the staircase.  
  
"Of course, and let me be the first to say, I'm glad that you can be here at this time," he said nodding his consent. He watched as she raced up the stairway towards the second floor.  
  
"Thanks Albus!"  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Sirius classroom was slowly beginning to fill up with students whom lingered until the bell rang. Harry and Hermione hurriedly took the best seats in the room eager to have another DADA lesson from Sirius. Students hastily sat in the best seats they could find before all of them were taken.  
  
Sirius stood and the room was filled with silence. Sirius opened his mouth to begin, but then a knock came on the back door by his desk. It opened slightly to reveal only to Harry, Hermione and Sirius that Arabella was there. Sirius approached the door to block her from view of the class. "Ara, what are you doing here?" he asked quietly.  
  
"I'm sorry Sirius, but I wanted to let you know of something that I just learned about the war."  
  
"Yes?" asked Sirius eagerly.  
  
"The students won't be allowed to use magic on the battle field. They have to use swords and medicine. Only Harry and Voldemort can use magic against each other; and against only each other. I just thought you might like to let your students know about that, but that's all I'm going to tell you because Albus will explain the rest later during lunch."  
  
"Thank you Ara, that means a lot to me and to my class that you told me," he said with a genuine smile gracing his face.  
  
"You're welcome Sirius. I'll let you get back to your class now," she said giving him a light kiss on the cheek.  
  
"I missed that," said Sirius coyly.  
  
"Me too . . . But you have to get back to your class," she said demurely and closed the door once Sirius was clear of it.  
  
Sirius stood there as the class wondered about the conversation held in hushed tones. Then he was back to normal and began, "Class, I have something that I need to tell you. This war that you probably felt enough confidence in your magic to fight in, is not going to have any magic whatsoever. Fighters will have to use swords and medics will have to use first aid and potions probably. But don't let this stop you from joining because I know that this school will be in even more trouble the less people that sign up for it." And with that he flicked his wand and the list appeared in the front of the room.  
  
All of the Gryffindors got up immediately and went to the front (minus Harry and Hermione obviously.) Some people wondered at this, but let it go assuming one thing or another. Harry and Hermione didn't much care how they appeared to the room so they just sat there like nothing was happening. Many of the Hufflepuffs, minus a few girls, got up after the Gryffindors had seated themselves. After they sat down, the last Hufflepuff girls got up finally and singed their fates. After five painfully silent minutes, everyone in Hufflepuff and Gryffindor seventh year had signed up for the war (except Harry and Hermione, they thought.)  
  
"Very good, very good!" exclaimed Sirius. "Hopefully every other class will be this successful in having everyone sign up." Many in the background whispered things like 'Didn't he see that Harry and Hermione didn't even move?'  
  
Sirius gave a pointed glare in the direction of all those whispering. He then began his lecture, "Now, today I would like everyone to pair off and we will begin."  
  
The only sounds for the next minute was the shuffling of feet as people moved next to whomever they would work with. Then Sirius voice was booming again, "Now the spell we will be working on is exceptionally advanced so I don't know if anyone will be able to get all of it within the time of this unit. This spell was actually used by the sorceresses of the Middle Ages. We will actually be doing a unit on sorcery for the next three months because there is so much to cover. This spell we are covering for this unit is called Elemental Reflection. The first thing that you should know about this spell is that it actually is not just one spell. Sorcery often seems more advanced than it really is because they often put multiple spells under one category. This one would also be the hardest because Sorcery teaches many different elements instead of just fire, wind, earth and water."  
  
The students were trying hard not to look lost, but failed miserably.  
  
"In simpler terms, Elemental Reflection does not have just one spell you always use. There is a different spell for each element, but part of each spell is the same. If any of you know Italian relatively well, then this will be easier for you to understand. The constant part of every spell is the part after you name the element: la riflessione, which means reflection. The next part is the elements that they used. Please write these down," he said and then put his wand to a black board and listed in alphabetical order were all the elements used in sorcery.  
  
La terra (earth)  
Licenziare (fire)  
Lo spazio (heavens/space)  
Il ghiaccio (ice)  
Il tempo (time)  
L'acqua (water)  
Il vento (wind)  
La legna (wood)  
  
Once he gave them about a minute he began again, "Now one of the most confusing things is that you have to match opposing elements with each other. They are not listed in the order they used on the board. Now you may wonder why you would match the elements with each other? Well because they wanted it to be more confusing to advanced wizards. If someone were to hit you with a fire spell, what spell would most of you think to cast at first Mr. Macmillan?"  
  
"Licenziare la riflessione?"  
  
"Yes, that is right. Five points to Hufflepuff. Most of you would assume that since 'licenziare la riflessione' means fire reflection that it would protect against fire, but on the contrary, that would not protect you it would increase the intensity of the spell being used against you. Can anyone tell me what spell you would actually use and why?"  
  
Hermione raised her hand, "Miss Granger?"  
  
"You would use 'il ghiaccio la riflessione' because ice would neutralize the fire instead of making it grow."  
  
"Exactly! Five points to Gryffindor. You want to neutralize the spell not stop it because the spell can last after the reflection is down. I will write the elements in proper order so that you can know which ones neutralize each other," he flicked his wand again and all of the words appeared in a different order than they had originally been.  
  
Licenziare (fire)  
Il ghiaccio (ice)  
Il vento (wind)  
L'acqua (water)  
La terra (earth)  
La legna (wood)  
Il tempo (time)  
Lo spazio (space/heavens)  
  
Now I would like every pair to get with three other groups so that each of the pairs can take different spells to practice. Then you will switch them around. You will only use simple Latin root spells so that no one will be harmed."  
  
So each group set out to get three others. Harry and Hermione ended up with Parvati and Lavender, Ernie and Justin, and Seamus and Hannah. "Each person chooses an element that he or she will defend against."  
  
Harry chose time, Hermione space; Parvati got ice to Lavender's fire. Ernie chose earth while Justin chose wood. Seamus was left with water as Hannah chose wind.  
  
"All right, I assume that all is chosen? You may begin."  
  
"Caelum!" called Hermione.  
  
"Il tempo la riflessione!" said Harry, but too late because the spell had hit him by the time he'd spoken the last word.  
  
"All right Mione, your turn. Anteeo!" Harry said, neither noticing that everyone was already down and watching both of them now because they were still standing.  
  
"Lo spazio la riflessione!" said Hermione in the middle of his spell causing a crevice about two feet long and five inches thick to appear on the ground. Then it was as though everything had stopped for a moment as a wall resembling the heavens sprung up from the fissure and there was total silence in the room. Then everything seemed to begin moving in normal time again and there was there sound of a small explosion as the time spell hit her barrier and was neutralized and the rush of wind as it blew the protection beyond visual barriers. Hermione's hair blew about in this gust of wind and looked scared at what was going on. Then the shield lowered to the ground and the floor went back to normal.  
  
Everyone stood there staring with mouths agape at this occurrence. Even Sirius looked shaken at this, but he finally found his voice, "Class, never have I seen such a rare occasion as this. Miss Granger, you are the first to successfully use an Elemental Reflection in seventeen years since the Sorceress Circe last used it.  
  
Hermione felt uncomfortable from all of the attention she was receiving from everyone. "Professor. . . it wasn't that big of a deal. And besides. . . I started casting the spell in the middle of Harry's so wouldn't that be like cheating?"  
  
"No, of course it's not cheating, that's what you are supposed to do because as soon as you know what element they are using you need to start the spell."  
  
Suddenly the bell rang and everyone jumped from its sudden noise piercing the awkward silence that reigned over the room. Everyone was still gawking at Hermione as they picked up their things and left the room.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
News had gotten around about Hermione's miraculous achievement in DADA. By lunch it was the talk of the school. Dumbledore, as everyone noticed, was back and there was also a mysterious woman at the teachers' table in between Sirius and Dumbledore.  
  
Dumbledore stood and said, "I have a few important announcements to make. We had everyone from second year and up in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and a few of the Slytherins joining our ranks plus nearly seventy first years helping in the hospital wing to help in the war. That makes nearly seven hundred students. As you all know, I was in Latvia today on some important business. The reason I went there is because I wanted the ranks of Latvia's School of Magic to join our ranks in this war and they have graciously agreed. Now most of you may be wondering why Latvia instead of some other perhaps more magically induced school? Well, this is where they are most important and the best qualified. The terms that were agreed for this war were that no magic would be allowed on the battlefield. The only exception to this rule will be Harry and Voldemort." Dumbledore paused as many people yelped, fainted, or cowered in fear of Voldemort's name. "Latvia's School of Magic will be arriving tomorrow morning with all of their students, whom have agreed to help train everyone that will be leaving. Mr. Potter will take charge of those fighting. Miss Morgan and Madame Pomfrey will take charge of those working in the hospital wing (obviously people are confused). One of the young ladies from Latvia will take charge of the medic unit. That is all for that matter. Now as all of you may have noticed, we have a guest in our midst. Some of you may actually know who this woman is. This is Arabella Morgan, formerly known as Arabella Trista Circe." Almost everyone in the room gasped if not for the reason of being near a sorceress, than for her actually being alive. "I know that this must be very big news that she is indeed alive and well and here with us. Now this is not the only news. Arabella Circe eventually got married and had a daughter; and both of them are in this room right now. I know that none here go by the surname Morgan or are related as father and daughter so it would seem impossible. Would Mr. And Miss Morgan please stand up?"  
  
Hermione and Sirius looked at each other, nodded, then stood. The entire student body (minus those who already knew) gasped at this. (There seems to be a lot of gasping going on *gasp* what is up with that? LOL!)  
  
"The only other bit I can tell you about this is that Miss Morgan will be staying here to train. As many of you know, the Circe women have been sorceresses as long as their lineage can be traced back, and Miss Morgan is no exception. So her mother will train her from now on in becoming a sorceress." Dumbledore began to sit down, but then immediately stood as he remembered something. "Oh, and you will need to know your schedules as of tomorrow. Those training for fighting will spend all of their class time training with Latvia to learn the art of sword and dagger fighting. Medics will have potions, and then they will spend the rest of their class time on first aid. Those staying for the hospital wing will attend Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions all day. Everyone else will attend class as normal. That will be everything for now." And with that he sat down.  
  
Many people made their way over to Hermione to talk to her. Harry was trying to stop the people from coming because he could tell that she was getting sick for some reason and stressing out, "You guys, Hermione isn't in the mood for questions!" But no one listened to him as they all thought that Hermione looked just fine and ready to answer every question shoved towards her.  
  
"Hermione why didn't you tell me?" Justin asked.  
  
"How does it feel to be a sorceress?" one of the fourth year Ravenclaws asked.  
  
"When did you find out?" asked Luna Lovegood.  
  
"So that's why you could do Elemental Reflection!" exclaimed Ernie Macmillan.  
  
"Why are all of your last names different?" asked Parvati Patil (she always was very dim when it came to the obvious)  
  
"Are you going to get revenge on all those Slytherins that called you Mudblood for all those years?" asked someone in the very back of the huddle around Hermione.  
  
Hermione finally broke the barrage of questions. "Everyone shut up! It's not that big a deal! I wasn't allowed to tell you Justin. It really doesn't feel any different being a sorceress. I don't know why the hell I can do Elemental Reflection because not every sorcerer or sorceress can. If you know what WWPP is then you'll know why our surnames are different. And I am not going to take my revenge on the Slytherins. Please, just let me be. I don't want to get special attention just because of what I am!"  
  
Hermione stood up hurriedly and grabbed Harry's hand and dragged him out of the Great Hall with her. Some people always wondered why those two would always be running off together without any explanation. Most didn't care, they were part of the golden trio and that's what the golden trio (now a duo) did.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
"Sirius?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Something is wrong with Hermione," said Arabella in worry as she saw her daughter and godson running out of the hall.  
  
"What do you mean Ara? She just doesn't like the attention, she never has."  
  
"No, it's not that. She looked extremely stressed out about something. What has been going on recently in her life?"  
  
"Well, there was that whole Draco situation. Something else happened the night that she found out about Draco, but I don't remember it because she said that it was nothing. There was her getting a present from her other father. But there wasn't much that could stress her out that badly."  
  
"There has to be something else that happened to her . . ." Arabella thought briefly before she had realized something. "What was it you said your classes studied today?"  
  
"Elemental Reflection, why?"  
  
"Something just donned on me and if my theory is right, then she is going to be really sick. I'll be back in a bit." And with that she got up and hurried out of the Great Hall. She knew that if Hermione were as sick as she thought, she would be in or near the girls' lavatory.  
  
She neared the girl's lavatory and saw Harry squatting and looking worried for his friend.  
  
She couldn't see Hermione right away because Harry was blocking her.  
  
She came even closer and immediately saw Hermione on the floor looking pale with a slight greenish blue twinge on her face. "Hermione, what's going on?"  
  
"I don't know. I'm feeling so sick and I don't know why. It just started coming on after Defense Against the Dark Arts."  
  
"Hermione, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"  
  
"Sure, go ahead."  
  
"Sirius said something happened on the night that you found out Draco has an arranged marriage."  
  
"Yeah, something happened that night. What does that have to do with anything?"  
  
"Well, I need to know what it is because that could explain why you got sick today when you did." Hermione looked like a deer caught in headlights when she said that. "Hermione, please, I really need to hear what happened."  
  
"I can't tell you about it mom."  
  
"Hermione, I'm not going to probe your mind, please tell me because it is important."  
  
"Well, just don't make a big deal about it. Or else I won't ever tell you anything."  
  
"All right."  
  
"I was - raped by someone that night, but I don't know who it was, they used a specter charm and a whispering wind charm on themselves."  
  
Arabella was silent a moment and chewed on her lip as she thought of the reason. "That's it! I know why you're sick."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"You used an Elemental Reflection spell right?"  
  
"Yeah, today in Defense Against the Dark Arts."  
  
"Well, it all connects. When you are a sorceress; using one of the spells of sorcery when you are no longer a virgin, and not married, you get very ill. It's not life threatening, but it just hinders the training."  
  
"It sure as hell feels like I could die," muttered Hermione.  
  
"It will be bad, but it gets better after a day, just take it easy."  
  
"Thanks mum, you're such a big help."  
  
"Anything for you Hermione," Arabella said smiling down at Hermione.  
  
Authors Note: Yeah, this chapter was kinda just a filler for the next chapter. Well, here are the thank yous.  
  
InsanitySquirrel321- It's okay and thanks! I can't tell you if Hermione will or won't end up with Draco though.  
  
Anja Summers- Thank you! I am sorry that I couldn't get this in sooner.  
  
LinNicole- Thank you, and I'm glad we got to meet her mother too, actually it just kinda happened, my fingers were typing and I finally realized what was going on so I kept it.  
  
Grifftoslyth- Thank you. I put it in because I wanted Hermione to be sick and miserable for a reason. Again thanks.  
  
Theophania- All I can say is that whatever happens to Draco is going to happen!!!  
  
Awwwwwww- Yeah, it will be interesting. I actually wrote the scene for the war (like the very end of it) and I like it, I hope that you guys will when I post it!  
  
Catherinecat20- Thank you muchly!!! I hope this was soon enough! 


	17. leaving

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I own all of the characters that I've made up in this chapter though. I also own the plot.  
  
Sorry that its taken me a while to post again, but I have a lot of stuff going on right now and it's hard to find some free time anymore. Well I will write more thanks yous at the end of the chapter, and please, PLEASE stop asking if Hermione and Draco are going to get back together; you'll find out soon enough. But for now, you're just going to have to wait like everyone else; my sister doesn't even know if they're going to get back together and she's one of the biggest snoops I know! Well I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'm sorry that it is so short! Please read and review!  
  
Chapter 17  
  
The very next day at Hogwarts was total disorder at breakfast. Every student whom had signed up somewhere received an owl in regards to their schedules and whom they would be working with. Each group was of about twenty students, most including some from Latvia's School of Magic.  
  
Hermione noticed that only ten owls flew by the Slytherin table, but didn't care to see who had received them. Instead she looked at her own schedule to see whom she would be with. The list had twenty names on it and the house and year of each student next to their names.  
  
Hermione Morgan - 7th year Gryffindor Blaise Zabini - 7th year Slytherin Joey Graham - 6th year Hufflepuff Luna Lovegood - 6th year Ravenclaw Kara Willis - 6th year Ravenclaw Demitri Borninkof - 6th year Slytherin Justine Rose - 5th year Gryffindor Brianne Harris - 5th year Hufflepuff Marina Reed - 5th year Hufflepuff Ben Watters - 5th year Hufflepuff Dawn Roberts - 5th year Ravenclaw Jasmine Willis - 5th year Ravenclaw Hope Clement - 4th year Hufflepuff Helios Terith - 4th year Slytherin Dennis Creevey - 3rd year Gryffindor Sarah Rose - 3rd year Gryffindor Lauren Rose - 3rd year Gryffindor Aurora Thetas - 3rd year Ravenclaw Ruby Turoe - 3rd year Ravenclaw Orlindu Terith - 3rd year Slytherin  
  
Now she knew where four of the ten Slytherins were and who they were. Obviously anyone from Latvia wouldn't be here after they left.  
  
She looked over at Harry's schedule and noticed some names that stood out to her immediately: Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Harry Potter. All of them were in the same group. 'How the hell are they going to get through this alive . . . they'll kill each other before they would work with each other.' Then a sudden thought dawned on her. "Ron is coming back?" I asked aloud to no one in general.  
  
Harry looked down at his list and Hermione could swear that she heard him think, 'what the hell? Oh my God she's right!' Harry looked at Hermione and said, "You're right, Ron's going to be here today! We'll finally get to see him again!"  
  
Across the table Harry and Hermione heard a sixth year named Jade Douglas scream with excitement then she looked at them, "Ginny Weasley is coming back!" She got up and ran to tell her friends who were just coming into the hall and animatedly told them the news. All four of them jumped for joy and whooped in joy and hugged each other.  
  
"I guess we know where they have been at now," said Harry. Hermione could see that he was brimming with excitement at this news.  
  
"I can see that you're happy," Hermione said looking at him knowingly.  
  
"Well of course, I've missed my friends," said Harry like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Harry, you know that I'm telepathic. I can tell that you aren't telling the whole truth. You're excited because Ginny is coming back," Hermione said triumphantly.  
  
Harry blushed as she said this. "So what if I am?" he asked childishly.  
  
Hermione let out a hearty laugh at the look on his face, "Cheers Harry, I think it's great. I'm glad you've finally sorted out your emotions."  
  
"I don't know what I'm going to say to her. The holidays left things kind of awkward when she announced to us that she had a boyfriend."  
  
"Don't let that stop you. And besides, if I know anything about Ginny, they've broken it off a long while back."  
  
"So when exactly did she write to you and tell you all this?" asked Harry with a superior smirk on his face.  
  
'Damn, caught in the act!' Hermione smiled sheepishly, "Two weeks ago, when they called it quits."  
  
"Thought so. So do you really think I stand a chance?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Of course you do." Hermione saw the knowing look on his face and cut him off before he could reply, "She told me so. She also told me that our dear old friend Ron has a girlfriend and it's pretty serious with those two."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, she says that they're engaged."  
  
"Students!" Dumbledore's voice boomed through the Great Hall before Harry could get his reply out there. "Latvia's School of Magic will be here shortly, therefore, I would ask that all of you please go to your classes now so that we can save time."  
  
Everyone filed out of the Great Hall and went to their assigned classrooms and waited impatiently for Latvia's arrival.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Ron and Ginny Weasley stepped up to the front doors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry calmly as though they had never left in the first place. They looked sideways at each other and then back to the 400 or so people behind them.  
  
"Well Gin, this is it," said Ron.  
  
"Yep, I'm worried Ron, we're outnumbered like four to one with Death Eaters who are fully trained in sword fighting. What are we going to do?"  
  
"We will try our best and win," said Ron reassuringly.  
  
Ginny and Ron opened the doors and stepped into the school that they knew so well. Not a thing had changed since they left. At that moment Ron's girlfriend Starlight Attkins walked up.  
  
"Hey Star," said Ron putting his arm around her.  
  
"Ah, welcome to Hogwarts everyone!" said Dumbledore as he walked out of the Great Hall to greet them. "It is unfortunate that we must make acquaintance under such dire circumstances. I will not delay you more than I have to because we must start training right away. If those of you who will be working on first aid would be kind enough to step forward, I will give you your room assignments and the name of the house that you will be staying with."  
  
About seventy-five people stepped forward, including Ginny and Starlight and got their schedules. This took about ten minutes and they immediately went to the house their parchment and maps indicated to drop off their things.  
  
"I trust that the rest of you will be fighting? All right, each of you will also receive a room and house assignment. Please come and get them."  
  
After twenty agonizingly slow minutes each fighter left for their dorms as well.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Within the next hour all of the classrooms were filled with twenty people each. They set straight to work owing to the fact that they had two months to train and be ready to leave.  
  
The air of Hogwarts had never been so tense as it was during these two months.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Draco had never trained harder in his life for anything, and he never felt more ready with the skills he had acquired. He had become friends with Ron and Ginny. He greatly relied on Harry, Ron, and Ginny's friendship to keep him going since he no longer had Hermione.  
  
"Draco!"  
  
Hermione had appeared from higher up the hill and she came to stand stiffly before him. Her hands were long and slender and supple as she held a piece of cloth. A feeble slanting beam of sunlight reached through the clouds to accent the brown luster in her hair; and the rich color deepened the tanned tints of her skin.  
  
"I - I wanted to speak to you," she said and color touched her cheeks as she stood before him. "There's been a wrong feeling in my heart about you Draco." The words came hard, but she kept her back straight, and her eyes fixed on his. "I've hated you for what you did - but I ask you to forgive me for that. Will you?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"Thank you." She put out her hand and he took it in his own. "I can't lie to you. I never could, could I? You know I loved you."  
  
He nodded and started to speak, but she took her hand back and said quickly, "No, don't say anything. I don't know why you're doing this thing - risking your life, but I do know that you're not what I thought. You're honest. But we can never be more than friends."  
  
"Hermione-!"  
  
"Justin is a reliable person. You're like the wind Draco - wild and exciting, but I never know what to expect. That's important to me, you know."  
  
He looked at her, and then said soberly, "I know you think that." He searched her face carefully, then he shook his head saying, "You're wrong Hermione! You're more of a woman than you know - but I guess that you'll never find that out."  
  
"Why do you say things like that!" she cried clenching her fists.  
  
"Sorry." He glanced up toward the sky, then back to her. "I must go. Goodbye then . . ."  
  
And he walked away never noticing the tears that flowed freely down her cheeks.  
  
Author's Note: Yeah this was kind of a dumb chapter I know, but they had to leave sometime and I didn't know what else to put in with their leaving so I figured I'd put in all that other stuff . . . you read the chapter, so you know. Oh and I happen to have a friend named Starlight and she's a lovely person, and she is like totally in love with Ron Weasley so I was inspired by her I guess you could say for the character of Starlight Attkins (her real last name isn't Attkins just so ya know!;)). Here are the thank yous!  
  
Theophania - I was thinking of making her pregnant but then I realized that that is WAY too overdone, it happened in my first story and I was thinking that I definitely would NOT make her pregnant in this one.  
  
Catherinecat20- Thanks! Sorry I couldn't update as soon, but I've been really busy lately because now I'm involved in wrestling and gymnastics and it's been hectic! I will try to update sooner next time though!  
  
Awwwwwww - I would agree with you, but I don't know if it will complicate things or not. . . it's entirely based off of what my brain decides at the moment I'm writing it. And the thing about Hermione's mom is, Hermione told her not to make a fuss about the whole ordeal and so she didn't, but she was indeed concerned for her daughter, plus I think I will put something in that will show you why she reacted the way she did so it doesn't seem like her mom was being a total bitch to Hermione. Thanks!  
  
InsanitySquirrel321 - Thank you much!  
  
Liachun - Thank you! I'm sorry that this didn't come out as soon as I would have liked it to. Again, I will only tell you this much as far as Draco and Hermione are concerned, they may get back together, they may not, you will find out when I get there! 


	18. war!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I wouldn't mind taking Draco and Harry off of her hands!!! (J. K. Rowlings of course is the only one brilliant enough to come up with something as ingenious as Harry Potter.)  
  
I hope that this came fast enough, I've been waiting for this chapter for like ever! I hope all of you like it. This took me three hours just to think about what was going to happen exactly and two days almost nonstop to write it. Well, enjoy and please read and review!  
  
Chapter 18  
  
All of the students leaving for war got on a ship to sail to Voldemort's mansion in Ireland. It was a long and tense ride there. The air was thick and forbidding the closer they got to Ireland. Harry and Draco talked to Ron, Ginny, and Starlight about the whole thing with Draco and Hermione to pass time.  
  
"So you and Hermione were dating?" asked Ginny incredulously. "I had no idea! Hermione never mentioned anything like this to me in her letters."  
  
"Yeah, but something happened. I have an arranged marriage that I couldn't change. But I've a feeling that something else happened to cause her to get so upset," said Draco looking over the side of the boat.  
  
"Something did happen," said Harry as though speaking to himself.  
  
"What?" Ron, Ginny, Starlight, and Draco asked in unison.  
  
"I don't know if she'd want me to tell though. She said that it wasn't really a big deal but I could tell that it's been tearing her up inside. She was really upset about the fact that she ended up telling me because her mum asked about it."  
  
"Harry . . . someone needs to tell what happened to her. I know that I haven't really had a chance to meet her, but I think that it's important for something like that to be talked about to maybe fix it," said Starlight.  
  
Harry ran a hand through his unruly hair and sighed, "Well . . . she was raped by someone and she doesn't even have a way of knowing who did it. They used a specter charm and a whisper charm so that the identity couldn't be revealed to her."  
  
"WHAT!" Draco looked as though he had found out the secret to Hermione's sudden hate for him.  
  
"What are we going to do? We have to fix this," said Ginny to herself.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Hermione had been training since the moment the school left for the war. She had been getting progressively more and more sick because of the predicament that she was in. She and Arabella and Sirius had become much closer since the time the whole of Hogwarts had departed.  
  
The only ones left at the school were the twenty that had signed up for hospital duty and all the Professors. Apparently all of the Slytherins whom had not signed up for the war had left to join their parents on the dark side. For the first month of the war, Hogwarts had only good news about the progress of the battling. Hermione wondered if maybe they would be coming home soon.  
  
Just when things were looking bright, Hogwarts received the worst news of the war thus far. The Death Eaters had attacked one of the student camps and taken about fifty of the ranks captive and tortured them. That was when the rush started and all the hospital was in an uproar. The students that had been sent in were in very bad shape, some of the students were so badly tortured that they died within a few days of being sent back because they were too far beyond help.  
  
One of those people, to Hermione's dismay, was Parvati Patil. Those two were never really close like Lavender and Parvati were, but it still was a great loss for her. Hermione had cried for about an hour when Parvati had passed on. Arabella had been there to comfort her, but it was like having to live in death for Hermione and nothing could change what was happening. All she could do was keep on doing her job.  
  
Luna Lovegood had lost one of her best friends as well, but she couldn't even be there because by the time they had found her, she was already too mutilated to even move away from the fighting. She died at the end of the day.  
  
Circumstances were bleak and they weren't looking any better. The fact that she was getting more and more upset the longer she was away from everyone. She was figuring that she was really worried about Justin since she was going to marry him eventually.  
  
'No it's not, you know that it's really Draco that you're worried about. You said so yourself that you loved him.'  
  
"What are you on about Hermione?" she scolded herself.  
  
'You're still in love with him!' said her little voice inside.  
  
"What?!? I can't be. I thought I was over this already. He is engaged and so am I . . . I can't be worried over that fact that I used to love him."  
  
'There is no used to about it! You're still in love with him and you know it!'  
  
"Stop saying that!" said Hermione with her head in her hands. "I can't love him anymore can I? Why am I even having this conversation? It's not that hard to figure out . . . he betrayed me and that's all there is to it!"  
  
'You can't change what your heart is feeling. You're fighting a losing battle; he loves you and you know it.'  
  
"Damn it all to hell!" said Hermione giving up a sigh of frustration. "He's engaged and he never told me about it."  
  
'You know that he doesn't want to be, and besides, it was an arranged marriage that he had no say in.'  
  
"Hermione are you all right?" asked Luna walking up to her and sitting next to her.  
  
Hermione looked up startled at the invasion of her thoughts, "No Luna . . . I'm not."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't know!" said Hermione desperately. "I'm so confused right now, and I don't know what I can do about it."  
  
"It's Draco isn't it?" she inquired knowingly.  
  
"How did you know?" asked Hermione looking surprised that she had been caught.  
  
"Like you I am telepathic, but I didn't need that to tell me that you're still in love with him."  
  
"You're telepathic?"  
  
"Oh yes, my family once used to be well known for their telepathy. But don't change the subject."  
  
"Right. But how do you know that I'm still in love with him?"  
  
"Every time you looked at him since you broke things off you looked as though you were incomplete because you were no longer with each other. He's your match Hermione, and there's nothing you can change about that."  
  
"But he lied to me." This was the only thing she could rely on anymore.  
  
"Yes, but he wanted to tell you the truth. He didn't want to hurt you like he did. It just so happened that Blaise, Pansy, and Millicent got to you before he could. He was planning to tell you that night that you were raped, but you wouldn't talk to him."  
  
"Wait, did you just say Blaise, Pansy, and Millicent? You mean Zabini, Parkinson, and Bulstrode?"  
  
"I do not know of any others," she said impassively. "I know that that is a sore topic with you about the rape and all, but you can't keep hiding it. You have to do something about it."  
  
Hermione didn't know what to say anymore, she had just received so much information and it was almost too much to take in now that everything was past and it was too late to repair anything.  
  
"Thank you Luna, you're such a good friend," said Hermione hugging Luna as she let her thoughts take over again.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Harry had killed Voldemort finally but at no little cost. He was in the medic station, which was amazingly still not found by the enemies.  
  
He was left shirtless with bandages wrapped around his waist and ribs to cover his injuries. Ginny walked in to him and sat on the edge of his bed next to him.  
  
Harry sat up gingerly and took her hand. "Hey Gin. How is everything going?"  
  
"Well considering the circumstances, everything is good. We broke into another one of the Death Eaters camps. They are now at work on infiltrating it and gaining control of it."  
  
"That's good. How are you doing?"  
  
Ginny blushed, "I'm good Harry. But why are you asking about me when I should be asking about you?"  
  
"I'm fine Gin, these people are too over cautious honestly. I feel ready to be back in action considering I can use magic and no one else can."  
  
"Harry, you're such a bad liar sometimes. I could tell that it hurt for you just to sit up when I came in," said Ginny looking at him like he was crazy for insisting that he was ready to fight again.  
  
"Oh fine! Deprive a man of the only fighting he can do without getting into trouble!" said Harry jokingly.  
  
Ginny and Harry laughed for the first time since the start of the war.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Two months had passed before they finally infiltrated the base of Voldemort's closest followers. There were only thirty Death Eaters left, but they were by far the most dangerous.  
  
Finally, a battle that would actually do some damage to the dark ranks. Everyone drew their swords and the battle commenced.  
  
Both Pettigrew and one of the other Death Eaters were swinging their sabers around towards the helpless Neville, and there was no more doubt about their intention. They could not miss at that range. Neville turned his head suddenly, his fear-stricken eyes meeting those of Draco.  
  
In a split second, with the sound of clashing metal and with the blades of two men reaching for him, Draco made a decision. With a catlike leap he sprang past his own adversaries. There was a low railing around the top floor of Voldemort's mansion, and without breaking stride; he used it for a springboard. The blades of the weapons were lowering as he crouched, then drove himself headlong into Pettigrew and the other Death Eater. As he flew through the air, he twisted his body, so that he went crashing with his torso on Pettigrew's squat body, driving him into the rail. His legs hit the other Death Eater waist high, but though he staggered, he didn't go down.  
  
"Potter! Cut them down!" Draco yelled, and a red mist seemed to fall over his eyes, the rage of battle driving him beyond logic or reason.  
  
Draco saw Neville being backed into the large stone pillar, and others were rushing to help them.  
  
He did his best, twisting as MacNair's naked blade shot forward, and by twisting his body to one side, he managed to take only a minor wound, a raking shallow cut across his back, high up.  
  
Then he was through, for he was practically on his face after his last lunge. 'Now it's over,' he thought; he was sad at what he would never have, but not afraid.  
  
Then he heard a chorus of yelling and, rolling over quickly, saw Harry and Ron and Ginny had come up to attack MacNair.  
  
He heaved himself to his feet, grabbed his sword and with a yell, he threw himself at the two men about to finish off Neville.  
  
One of them turned with a startled look of rage and made a pass at Draco. He parried it with ease and drove his own blade through the man's heart, withdrew it and turned to meet an attack from the rear.  
  
It was well he did, for he found himself face-to-face with none other than his father, Lucius Malfoy.  
  
The tall, thin form of the man was twisted sideways, one foot out with knee bent, left foot back and at right angles - the classic position, and the moment their blades touched, Draco knew he had never crossed blades with a better swordsman.  
  
"It's over father!" he cried. "Throw down your sword."  
  
"No, it's not over, not until you're dead!" Lucius sneered and moved ahead with a rapid attack such as Draco had never seen before.  
  
Lucius' blade darted faster than a snake's tongue, and only by falling back in a half-stumble did Draco survive. He was exhausted after all the fighting, and the wound in his back was draining his strength. Back, back he went, staving off death by the last fraction of a second as he pushed aside Lucius' darting blade time and time again.  
  
His back stuck to the wall of the mansion, and he twisted to one side, missing death by inches as Lucius' blade struck the stone where he had been an instant earlier.  
  
Draco turned, driven back by the brilliance of the man's swordsmanship; never once was he able to mount an attack of his own. Dimly he was aware that the wizard's duel between Harry and Voldemort would be over soon; Ron and the other's would come to his aid - but it would be to late . . . but this was his fight and his alone.  
  
He could back up no more. His legs struck the railing, and for a few seconds, the blades made a ringing clash so rapid, it was impossible to separate them. He was fighting on instinct now, his mind not able to keep up with Lucius' tactics. Parry, parry - twist and turn. But now he was getting slower and he was the fiery light of victory in his father's eyes as he crouched for the final lunge.  
  
Do what he'll nevair expect! The words came to his mind like a flash of light from his past - the words of his old master, Dupree. And in a desperation born of despair, he did exactly that. With a wild yell he leaped at Lucius, lifting his sword high over his head like a club. If Lucius had kept his head he could have run Draco through the body at that moment, but he did not.  
  
The wild yell and the totally unexpected abandonment of the classic style for the rough, vicious swing of the sword rattled him. He took one step back and when the downward stroke of his raging opponent struck, it nearly tore his own blade from his hand.  
  
He had only time to lift his blade to catch the next wild sweep, which Draco threw at him crossways like a scythe.  
  
Screaming like a banshee, Draco drove Lucius across the floor by brute force. None of the smooth exact science he had spent years learning. He swung his blade like a wild Irishman swings a shillelagh in a brawl, and it shattered Lucius' confidence.  
  
He caught himself for one last try, but he went into the classic stance, Draco kicked him in the knee and Lucius went down without a single cry.  
  
Instantly Draco was over him, his eyes mad with battle fury and years of hatred now pounding through his veins, his sword poised over the fallen man's body.  
  
Lucius looked up and there was no fear in his eyes. He spat out, "Do it then! I am not afraid to die!"  
  
Still Draco stood there, the sword drawn back, quivering and ready to drop.  
  
"Well, you going to kill him or not?"  
  
Draco twisted his head to see that Ron and Harry had come upstairs and were watching the scene with clinical interest.  
  
The roar of blood in Draco's ears quieted, and he looked down at his father, glaring at him with pale hatred.  
  
"Yes, I will - and then you will know how much I have always hated you father," he said raising his sword; and with a swift fluid motion, the saber pierced Lucius heart.  
  
As he pulled the blade out, a violent tremor shook his body, and Harry at once whipped off his cloak and draped it over his shoulders. "We'd best get you to Ginny at once. That's a bad cut you took - and the freezing conditions aren't doing you any good."  
  
By the time they'd returned and Ginny had finished with the medical treatment, Draco's head was swimming and he seemed to be burning up.  
  
"W - what's wrong with m - me?" he asked feebly.  
  
Ginny threw her wand down and cried, "Damn it all, someone used chemical weaponry on you, or I'm no medic! I think Lucius might have done something to his weapon . . . it's the only logical explanation. Just when they said they wouldn't allow magic, they come back and try to kill one of us with biological warfare. Damn it!" but then she caught herself and said, "But we'll pull you through Draco - don't doubt it."  
  
But Draco only heard the first part of her statement. His head was swimming and he slipped into a black hole that seemed to be waiting to swallow him up like a huge and merciless beast.  
  
Author's Note: I won't be doing thank yous this chapter; I will save those for the next chapter. If you want me to write a thank you to you, review!!! Well I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter! Click on the little review button below thank you muchly in advance!!! 


	19. farewell to cecily

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; all of the ideas come from J.K. Rowlings. I own the North family and Starlight Attkins and the plot.  
  
Well, this story is finally winding down and I know that many of you are worried about the relationship of Draco and Hermione since there are other characters in their lives. All I can tell you is that you'll have to make your own assumptions up until whatever it is actually happens. I will take care of the thank yous for chapter 17 and 18 now while I'm still thinking about.  
  
*Chapter 17*  
  
InsanitySquirrel321- Thank you!  
  
Catherinecat20- Thank you, and I hope that this is long enough and soon enough!  
  
Blu Suga- Thank you!  
  
Theophania- Thanks, and you have to find out!  
  
*Chapter 18*  
  
Akawsha- Thanks; I never really thought it was actually very detailed honestly.  
  
Catherinecat20- I believe I e-mailed you with my reply, but I don't remember *apologizes profusely for my poor memory* Well, you will find out if Draco dies or not in this chapter, and don't worry it is NO problem that you are asking so many questions. And THANKS; you're such a loyal reader!!!  
  
Eminem-Chick2- I feel bad for her too, but I felt I should actually make a point out of having her raped earlier because someone said that it had no point. The reason it counts is because even if you're raped, that doesn't change the fact that you are no longer a virgin anymore. I hope there was enough Draco in this chapter! (I've been hoarding him to myself!!! He's mine!) Hopefully you are happy with this chapter!  
  
Eminem-Chick2- you'll see if he's okay or not now! I'm glad he's dead too! That's why people write fan fiction, so that things go their way even if J. K. doesn't (no offense or anything!!! I love the Harry Potter books and I can't wait until the sixth book comes out!)  
  
Theophania- you're right! Thanks for reviewing so faithfully!  
  
I will try to work on the chapter after this because that will be the deciding moment of the story and I don't want to hold it out for too long. Oh, and I'm going to drop another plot bomb in this chapter. Anyways, please read and review! And enjoy!  
  
Chapter 19  
  
'How long has he been out?'  
  
'Half a month now; it was really a bad illness that he got hit with.'  
  
'Is he going to make it?'  
  
' . . .'  
  
'Ginny?'  
  
'I don't know Harry, he got hit with a very dangerous magical illness.'  
  
'What kind of illness?'  
  
'Murond Plague, it's incommunicable by any other standards than injection of some sort, but it's just as deadly as any of the muggle biological diseases.'  
  
'What does it do?'  
  
'It puts the person into a coma, but after that it is unique to the individual.'  
  
'What are Draco's symptoms?'  
  
'Well, obviously he has the coma, but also he's suffering from severe weight loss, respiratory distress, severe pain, and very little brain activity. There's very little hope of recovery, but it's better than no hope at all. Though we figure that if he wakes up he will have temporary memory loss.'  
  
Draco heard all of this as though in a dream state. 'What's going on? Where am I?' He felt as though a Quintaped or something had attacked him.  
  
'So what will happen to him now? How long will they give him before they pull the plugs.'  
  
' . . .'  
  
'Gin, just tell me, I can handle it.'  
  
'They will pull them tonight if he doesn't show any improvements by the end of the day.'  
  
'So soon?'  
  
'Pull the plug on what?' Draco thought, as the voices were becoming clearer and clearer.  
  
'So do you think he will make it by tonight?'  
  
'I don't want to make any assumptions just yet, so I can't really say.'  
  
'Wait . . . are they talking about me?' Draco's memory was becoming less and less fuzzy and he began remembering blacking out in Voldemort's mansion.  
  
"Gin, are you going to stay for a while?"  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"I think I should go get Hermione. She has to at least see him before tonight," said the male voice.  
  
Draco could hear footsteps and then a door shut and all was silent in the room.  
  
A chair scraped across the floor near by and then he felt a gentle pressure on his hand.  
  
"Draco, you've got to wake up. You have to stay alive for Hermione because she still loves you. She would never say so, but we know she is. Just wake up, please," said a desperate voice.  
  
Draco tried to move, but his muscles were not responding. He wanted to wake up, but his body wouldn't let him.  
  
"Draco, come on! Please wake up. You have to wake up! Harry said he wanted you to be his best man in our wedding. We're getting married you know. He proposed to me after we got back to England. He was going to ask Ron, but Ron said that he wanted to have a double wedding with us! Can you believe it? My brother and I getting married on the same day and in the same place? It would just be too bad if Hermione and you couldn't join us. But Harry and Ron want her to be there, I haven't told them that Star and I want to ask her to be the maid of honor. We don't want a big wedding, just immediate family and a few friends. You want to be there don't you?" The voice was almost wistful as she talked about a future without him in it.  
  
Draco's eyes fluttered painfully open as the brightness of the white hospital room invaded them and he squinted against the unwelcome light.  
  
Ginny looked at him in shock as she saw the responsiveness he just had.  
  
"Draco! You're awake!" she cried as she gave him a bone-crunching hug (it felt like it to Draco anyway) and cried with joy.  
  
Draco winced as she hugged him and Ginny instantly pulled away realizing that she was hurting him.  
  
"Oh God Draco I'm so sorry!"  
  
Draco took a while before his voice would work and when it came out it was very weak. "Same old little Weasel you always were," said Draco jokingly and laughed but coughed as pain overtook his body from the laughter.  
  
"Draco, take it easy! You've had a horrible run in with - "  
  
"Murond Plague, I know, I heard you talking about it a little bit ago."  
  
"Oh! So . . . you've heard how much exactly?"  
  
"I've heard that I've been out for half a month and everything after that."  
  
"Draco you should get some rest now because you aren't exactly in the best condition to socialize."  
  
"All right, but I'm perfectly fine."  
  
"Draco!" began Ginny in a mock stern voice. "You are going to rest whether you like it or not! Oh by the way, Harry and Hermione are going to hopefully stop by later. I know that you already know about it, but I just wanted to remind you."  
  
"Okay, now if you want me to sleep then leave me be! I won't sleep with the possibility to socialize," said Draco good-naturedly.  
  
"Okay, sleep well," said Ginny walking out and gently shutting the door.  
  
Draco almost instantly fell asleep.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Hermione was sitting in the Head Girl and Boy's Common Room studying for the N. E. W. T. s.  
  
Harry burst into the room through the fireplace suddenly and Hermione looked up at him.  
  
"Hermione will you come with me?" he asked hurriedly.  
  
"Sure Harry, where are we going?"  
  
"To visit a friend."  
  
He said no more because he picked up some floo powder and said clearly, "Saint Joseph's."  
  
Hermione recognized the name as a hospital in Ireland; the one that she was born in as her mother had told her.  
  
"Saint Joseph's."  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Draco was sleeping fitfully as he heard the door open and he heard slow footsteps in his room. He assumed it was a nurse or something so he paid it no mind and fell back asleep.  
  
Hermione looked around at the stark white room and a bed in the middle surrounded by machines. She heard the steady beep, beep, beep of the heart monitor. She also heard the steady airflow from the respirator. She saw the I.V. and followed the line to the wrist of the victim in the hospital. Her gaze finally traveled to the face of the patient and recognized a very thin and very pale Draco Malfoy. She backed away at the sight of him and began to open the door but found it would not open.  
  
'Damn it Harry! I need to leave, I can't stay in here!' Hermione thought. 'I was finally able to accept the concept of him not being in my life and then you drag my ass to the hospital so I have to see him.'  
  
Hermione looked at the very weak Draco, with his mouth covered by a respirator mask, breathing very steadily to the rhythm it set.  
  
'I guess it won't hurt if I say goodbye to him once and for all. He was fighting for the good side anyway and that deserves some respect from my part. He even saved Justin, which he told me about it in detail.'  
  
She moved over to the chair and sat down taking his cold hand in hers. She sat in silence for a moment, but then she couldn't take it anymore.  
  
"You really hurt me you know?" she began, trying to break the uncomfortable silence. "I know you were going to tell me. Luna Lovegood is also telepathic and she told me that you were going to tell me that night that I was raped by Blaise Zabini. I didn't know who it was until Luna said that. Apparently, the dirtiest and most disgusting thoughts are the hardest to hide from someone telepathic. I wish I could know what you were thinking now, but telepaths can't really hear thoughts of people who are sleeping or in a coma."  
  
It seemed that the longer she kept talking, the easier it became since she knew that Draco couldn't hear her. She sighed and continued, "I really don't know what I should do about Blaise though. I mean, he's still alive and so are his parents because they were in one of the barracks that remained hidden. They wouldn't dare to try and kill us now because they don't have a leader. Though I don't think they'd want to even if they could. The dark marks disappeared once Harry killed Voldemort. Some of the Death Eaters actually became like they used to be, like Snape is actually nicer to students and everything. But some of the older Death Eaters that joined Voldemort when he first began are still terrible people. The Zabini family is nice except for Blaise who is still a total git, but that's just the way he was. I don't think Blaise was ever going to join Voldemort, but was instead going to try to take his place. Who knows though in these days?"  
  
Hermione bit her lower lip and thought about what to talk about next. She finally settled on the sore topic of their old relationship. "You know I loved you right? But the moment I found about Cecily I thought that you didn't love me, but were just using me as a last fling before getting married. If it weren't for the fact that I promised to marry Justin and you are promised to Cecily, I would want to marry you. I would have loved you until the end of time, but I guess it doesn't really matter any more. You'll either be dead by nightfall or you'll be married to someone else. I never wanted to admit it, but that was the only reason I ever hated you." She smiled to herself having remembered the old days when he would call her Mudblood and tease her mercilessly, "Since this year anyways. You know, Harry, Ron, Starlight, and Ginny all say that you are still in love with me . . . but that can't possibly work now. You're going to get married as soon as you wake up and go home. I've heard rumors that you will be married sometime soon after graduation. That is if you ever wake up. I hope you do because I would feel terrible if you were to die tonight because they wouldn't give you a chance to live. For what it's worth . . . thanks; D. A. would never have made it without you. Goodbye," she said standing up and leaving.  
  
She cast one last look over her shoulder and then shut the door. At that moment Draco woke up with the subtle click of the door.  
  
'Damn!' he thought, knowing that he had probably just missed Hermione.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Harry and Ginny decided to pay Narcissa Malfoy a little visit after they had dropped Hermione back at Hogwarts. Harry knocked lightly on the door, which was almost immediately opened by a house elf.  
  
"Good evening Sir and Madam. What does you be wanting?"  
  
"Can we talk to your mistress please?" asked Ginny.  
  
"Come in, Tiny will get mistress Malfoy. Take a seat anywhere you be wanting to," said the house elf pointing to a room and then disappearing to get Narcissa.  
  
Harry and Ginny entered the parlor to their right and took seats by the entrance. They waited for about a minute and then heard footsteps slowly descending the grand staircase. Narcissa Malfoy walked into the parlor almost regally and then sat down in a seat across from them.  
  
"Hello Harry Potter and Miss Weasley. Forgive me, but I haven't caught your name dear," she said smiling.  
  
"It's Ginny Mrs. Malfoy," said Ginny softly.  
  
"Oh, there's no need to be so formal, you can call me Narcissa. So why have you come to Malfoy manor?"  
  
"We needed to talk to you about your son's arranged marriage."  
  
"I knew that someone would come to me about that eventually," she said with a perceptive look.  
  
"Well, since the North family doesn't know that Draco has woken, we were wondering if you might call off the engagement. You see, Draco is in love with someone else, but he can't be with her because of the engagement. That person is our best friend, and she is about to make the biggest mistake of her life and marry some bloke that she doesn't care for. Both of them are unhappy because they can't be together now," said Ginny quickly.  
  
Narcissa gave a bitter smile, "I know how that is, because I was betrothed to Lucius since I was born. I was in love once, but I could not marry the man that I wanted to because of it. I don't want the same thing for my son; I want him to marry for love. I don't know how easy it will be for me to lie to them, but I think I will be able to convince them to have their daughter marry someone else. When the people from the muggle hospital come to my Draco tonight, I want them to think that he was never awake. I will cast a charm on him to make all his vital signs unreadable to the muggle machinery, but he will be very much alive. Then I will pretend that there is a funeral for him and that he was cremated. We will need to have the WWPP involved and give him a new identity after he graduates, and they won't ever know he's alive while still under his real name because they'd think he was dead, but he will at least be able to stay away from the North family by doing that. Will you inform your friend that his engagement as of now, is off?"  
  
"We will Narcissa, thank you so much!" said Ginny ready to go.  
  
"Good luck Narcissa, and thank you," said Harry getting up and together Ginny and Harry left happy that their plan was being set in motion . . .  
  
Author's Note: Well, hopefully this makes the rest of the story seem more obvious now, but if not, you'll have to read and find out what happens next! Please click on that little button at the bottom left corner, thanks! 


	20. that final step to freedom

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter (obviously!), because he and everyone and everything associated with him was made by the brilliant J. K. Rowlings. I own the North family, Starlight Attkins and any other person you haven't heard of from the books.  
  
Well, here is the next chapter. And in this one, I am slightly tweaking something was mentioned in book five. Since it never rightly said that the Black family was directly related to Narcissa through blood, I made it so that she wasn't exactly, she'll be related through marriage of one of her parents, one of whom was from another country. I will do thank yous in the last chapter because there are only two chapters left after this. That means thank yous for 19, 20, and 21. I will also do a thank yous chapter after 22. Well, here is chapter 20! Read and review!!!  
  
Chapter 20  
  
Narcissa Malfoy walked into the hospital deemed Saint Joseph's. It was in muggle Ireland and part of it was used as a muggle hospital, but there was also a magical part. Draco was right on the end where magic could be used sparingly. The hospital staff would get curious if someone in so terrible a condition just disappeared since he was brought in from the front. Everywhere that was for muggles had an anti magic barrier so that no magic could be used whatsoever. So the rooms in the middle of the barrier and the free zone had a lot of interference where magic was concerned.  
  
She walked up to the front counter and waited for the receptionist to get off of the phone. She was standing there a good minute before she hung up and looked up.  
  
"Hi, I'll be with you in just a moment," she said as she looked down to the computer and typed something in.  
  
"Sorry for making you wait, now how may I help you?" asked the receptionist smiling.  
  
"I would like to visit my son Draco Malfoy."  
  
She looked back at the computer screen and typed something.  
  
"Draco Malfoy, oh yes here he is. He's in intensive care room 1514. You'll need to take the elevator to the fifth floor and then walk to the right until you get to the end of the hallway and it turns left. His room is on the corner."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
With that, Narcissa walked to the elevator, pressed the fifth floor button and waited to arrive at the fifth floor. Others joined her on the elevator as it rose slowly upward. It finally reached the fifth floor and Narcissa had to push through people to get out. She looked the hall up and down trying to remember which way the receptionist had said to go. She looked to the left and saw a sign that said rooms 1475 - 1494. To the right there was a sign that read rooms 1495 - 1514. She went to the right and looked at the rooms as she passed. Some of the doors were open revealing families crying over a patient, loved ones talking, or even some that were alone and sad. Narcissa finally walked in front of room 1514, which was closed. She opened the door and walked in to find her son looking weak and thin. He was connected to a respirator, a heart monitor, and an I. V. She looked upon him with sadness in her heart.  
  
Draco's eyes opened slowly and he looked over to his mother. "Hi mum," he said weakly and held out his hand to her.  
  
She walked over, sat down, and took it in her own, "Draco." She smiled warmly as he squeezed her hand lightly.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he asked curiously.  
  
"I have a proposition for you."  
  
"What kind of proposition?"  
  
"Well, your friends told me about Hermione. So I have a way for you to get her back."  
  
"Really?" his eyes lit up at those words.  
  
"Yes, but you'll have to listen carefully. I am going to write a letter to the North family saying that it will be impossible for you and Cecily to get married because you are dead. Now they don't know that's not true, so they won't look too far into it so long as we give them a doctor's record. This is where you come in. I am going to cast a charm on you that will make you appear dead to those that didn't know you were awake already. That would mean you, Harry, and Ginny, and I, possibly Ron and his fiancée as well. Once you are out of the hospital, we will send you to your room in Malfoy Manor so you can still have proper care. But no one else will know about it. We will have a mock funeral in which everyone will think you have been cremated. Once all of the confusion dies down, you will be given a new name by the WWPP. You can still take the NEWTS because Dumbledore also knows that you are alive. He will send them to you through the post and you have to send it back everyday when you finish. You can go back to Hogwarts on graduation day, but you will still be called Draco Malfoy until two days after graduation, which is when your new name will take effect."  
  
"Hopefully this will work," said Draco excited at the chance to win Hermione back.  
  
"I was hoping you would agree," said Narcissa.  
  
"You're a great actress, so it should work," said Draco admiringly having seen his mother's acting skills throughout his whole life.  
  
"Now all you have to do is wait for me to wake you up, which will be very soon I hope."  
  
"Thank you mum," said Draco as Narcissa stood and brought out her wand.  
  
"Falsifichi la morte," she said and watched as a black stream of light shot out of the wand and surrounded Draco. Suddenly the heart monitor showed no heartbeat. He didn't look dead to Narcissa, but she knew that he'd look dead to all of the nurses and staff so she guessed it would be safe to continue on with the plan as soon as possible. "I love you Draco, you'll be out of here soon."  
  
Narcissa ran into the hallway and yelled hysterically, "Nurse! Nurse! My son! Something is wrong with him!"  
  
A nurse came running up to Narcissa and asked, "What's all the fuss mam?"  
  
"My son, there's something wrong with him! The monitor, it was showing a heartbeat just a moment ago and now there's nothing except that long beep!" Narcissa got into the full swing of it and burst into fake tears.  
  
"Calm down mam," said the nurse soothingly.  
  
"Calm down? Calm down! My baby is dead and you want me to be calm?"  
  
"Just let me check on him."  
  
"What is there to check? You can hear the monitor just as well as I can!" she said shrilly.  
  
The nurse looked over Narcissa's shoulder and then back at her, "Mam, please let me in, it is procedure that I check on the patients when something like this happens."  
  
Narcissa moved away and let the nurse pass. She began to check Draco's vital signs and found that he had none.  
  
Narcissa sobbed the whole time pretending that she believed her son to be dead.  
  
"You were right mam, your son is dead. I'm sorry," she said lowering her head.  
  
"No! No! No! He can't be dead! He's too young to die!" she wailed wiping the fake tears from her eyes and taking a tissue and blowing her nose.  
  
"It's all right mam, please wait here and I will get Mr. Malfoy's doctor," said the nurse exiting the room.  
  
'That was easier than I thought,' said Narcissa to herself.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
After about three hours, Narcissa was left in her parlor with Draco in a temporary coffin and his official death certificate. She mumbled the counter charm and Draco's eyes opened. (Unknown to the hospital.)  
  
"Mum?" he said as he sat up and saw his mother.  
  
"It's okay Draco, you're home. Now all I have to do is write the letter to Cecily. Then you are a free man. Now I will help you to your room."  
  
"How long will it take until I can see Hermione again?" he had to know.  
  
"It's already May 20. You'll receive your first NEWT tomorrow. You go back to school on June first, which is the day before graduation."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Now Draco, stop stalling and let's get you to your room," said Narcissa as she lifted and supported his body. He leaned heavily on her and was barely able to get his legs to move.  
  
Ten minutes later, he was in his room and hooked up to a respirator and I. V. Narcissa knew there would be no need for a heart monitor since he was very much alive.  
  
Fortunately she had training as a nurse since she had gone to Latvia's School of Magic (of course Lucius had thought that she went to Durmstrang, and never knew of her fighting and medical training.) She had transferred to Hogwarts in third year and her parents said that she had gone to Durmstrang so that there would not be as much spotlight on their only daughter. And the fact that Narcissa's betrothed went to that school Hogwarts was an added perk in their eyes. It was odd how she would be engaged to someone from another country, but she had found out that she was born in England and they moved to Latvia after they had arranged the marriage. It was all very complicated really.  
  
Narcissa walked to the parlor and got out a piece of parchment to write the letter to Cecily and her parents.  
  
Dear North family,  
  
I'm afraid I write to you with a heavy heart as my son Draco has just passed away about three hours ago. He was involved in the war and was unfortunate to receive a deadly disease that is virtually untraceable after it has killed it's victim and so we never got to find out what had taken him. Lucius was also killed by the war, and so it is my duty to inform you that the arranged marriage between Draco and Cecily is unfortunately off due to the circumstances. I have included a copy of Draco's death certificate. I was very greatly looking forward to the union of our two children, but that can no longer happen. Draco told me in his last hour alive that he was in love with the sorceress Hermione Terra Morgan and I was most unsettled to hear this news, even though he would have married Cecily anyway. Draco's funeral will be in two days, there will only be a small crowd present as Draco said that is what he wished for. He will be cremated tomorrow, and I hope that you would please come to say goodbye to my beloved son. I wish it were some other way, but this is how it has to be.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Narcissa Malfoy  
  
She rolled up the parchment and sent it off with her best owl, Snowflake. In just a matter of an hour, they would be reading this and writing back.  
  
She smirked as she thought of the looks on their faces as they read it.  
  
The only thing that still wasn't quite set in stone was if Hermione would receive the news. If she heard about his death before Harry and Ginny could report to her, what would happen?  
  
~*::The next day::*~  
  
Justin walked up to Hermione's room and knocked on the door. He waited about a minute before the door opened, revealing a very distressed Hermione. Her eyes were slightly puffy and red, and there were light tearstains on her cheeks. It was obvious to him that she'd been crying about something and he was going to find out what.  
  
"Hermione are you all right?"  
  
"What do you think Justin?" she asked pertly.  
  
"I'll take that as a no. So what is wrong?" he asked ushering her back into the room and sitting down with her on the bed . "I just received word that Draco is dead. He died last night mysteriously; they think his heart failed. Later last night, his body just disappeared after they gave his mother his death certificate. I don't know anything else about it though.  
  
Justin smiled warmly and said, "Oh, is that all?" Just as the words came out he thought, 'oh shit, what have I done?'  
  
Hermione looked at him sharply. "Is that all? I would have thought you would at least you would be able to understand that I am upset! One of my best friends died last night and all you can do is think of yourself?"  
  
'I'm in deep shit now . . ." he thought as he tried to fix his mistake. "Look Her -"  
  
"You're right, you're in deep shit! How could you be so insensitive? You're so bloody self absorbed you can't even get your head out of your ass to look around you and realize that you aren't the only one whose important! How do you think that makes me feel? You're going to be my husband for Merlin's sake and all you can do now is be a shameless, selfish prick!"  
  
Justin sat there listening and took in all that she said to him.  
  
"Well aren't you going to say anything Justin?" she half yelled.  
  
"You're still in love with him."  
  
Hermione was taken aback by this simple statement, "What?"  
  
"You heard me. You're still in love with him."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"God Hermione! Who do you think? Draco Malfoy, King of the Slytherins, Prince of Purebloods, Lord of all that is evil, vile, and wrong in the world, whom, might I remind you, has called you Mudblood countless times! You know, for the smartest witch in our class and as a sorceress, you sure can be daft!"  
  
"How dare you!" she yelled and the slap that she gave him seemed to echo off of the walls in the thick and bitter tension in the room. "He helped you out in the war and all you can do is be cruel to him even in his death and I won't stand for it anymore Justin, get out!" she said in a dangerously low voice.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Get out of here!" she said strongly.  
  
"But Hermione -"  
  
"GET OUT!" she practically screamed.  
  
Justin stood up and began to walk out and as he opened the door he said, "Fine! You know, I don't I could really settle for half a woman anyways."  
  
"I said get the hell out!" said Hermione throwing the engagement ring through the open door.  
  
"It would be my pleasure!"  
  
"Sod off!" and as she said that, the door was slammed shut and she was left in the silence. 


	21. never stopped loving you

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but I like to pretend that I do!  
  
Well here is the last chapter I hope you guys like it. Well actually there will be an epilogue after this, and I won't be posting thank yous for that now because of the new rule about only chapters and such things. Well, read and review if you want to see a thank you for yourself.  
  
Chapter 21  
  
To: Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy  
  
Malfoy Manor  
  
From: Miss Cecily North  
  
Dear Narcissa,  
  
I somehow do not believe you that Draco is dead. I know we went to the funeral, but you did not seem as sad as you should have been over the death of your only son. I know that Draco killed Lucius and that Lucius placed the Murond Curse on him and I know that Draco couldn't possibly die from it because it was only made to make him deathly ill. However, I will not press the matter of his life. I assumed from the moment that you said he was in love with that sorceress that he had to be alive and you just wanted to take the easy way out of the engagement. Have no fear though because I will not tell my parents about this charade that you insist upon keeping up. I couldn't stand being married to only half a man anyway.  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Cecily  
  
Draco and Narcissa read the first letter of the post in a slight state of shock.  
  
"Well this is news indeed, who'd have thought she'd give it up that easily?" said Draco.  
  
"Here is the letter from WWPP," said Narcissa looking at the second letter from the post of the morning.  
  
"Shall we open it mum?"  
  
"I think we should," she said tearing the seal and opening the letter.  
  
Dear Narcissa and Draco Malfoy,  
  
Since you have asked for young master Malfoy to be placed into our program, I must ask that you would please fill out the forms that we have sent you. Once we have received them back, our program will take effect and your life will be as you say on the forms, so choose wisely.  
  
Sincerest Wishes and best of luck with your new life,  
  
Sarah Miles; Head of Wizarding Witness Protection Program  
  
Narcissa pulled out two pieces of parchment that were filled with questions.  
  
"Draco, do you still want to do this?" Narcissa inquired.  
  
"Yes, I don't ever want the North family to get even the slightest idea of what happened. The sooner we get this done, the better."  
  
"All right, I'll write down the answers, just tell me what you want me to write when I ask you the questions. First question: What is your full name going to be?"  
  
"Draco Elias Lawrence."  
  
"What is you nationality?"  
  
"Half English, quarter French, quarter Welsh."  
  
"Birthday?"  
  
"May 22."  
  
"Age?"  
  
"18."  
  
"Occupation?"  
  
Draco sat for a moment in deep thought.  
  
". . . Auror."  
  
"Bloodline?"  
  
Draco wasn't quite sure what he should say to this one so he went on his first impulse, "Muggleborn."  
  
Narcissa looked at him briefly with a smile and a questioning look in her eyes.  
  
"I figure I should be what I've tortured Hermione about for nearly six years. I owe her that much."  
  
Narcissa smiled ta this and continued on with the questioning. After an hour, they had finished the questionnaire about himself and his family. They finally sent in the forms by owl and Draco grabbed the last thing on the pile. He knew that they were his last O. W. L. test, so he went up to his study to take the test.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Hermione had never been so depressed in her life. In her mind she had nothing left, she was completely alone and she had nowhere to go. Her mother and father were of little help to her because nothing could replace how upset she was over Draco's death. Even if he was still alive, he would be getting married to some dark witch and she couldn't do anything about it.  
  
It was the day before graduation and everyone was busy, too busy to notice her and her pain. Harry had said that she could talk to him, but now she didn't think she could talk to anyone about it. Justin had avoided her like the plague and talked to everyone about what a whore she was whenever she was nearby. Nobody believed him of course, but they did notice that things between them had ended horribly, so they paid his rumors no mind assuming that he was still sore about Hermione.  
  
Hermione was in her Common Room that night, looking out the window on the grounds, which were becoming soaked with rain. She smiled a bitter smile; the weather seemed to understand how she felt; the rain reflected her dreary mood.  
  
She sat for a moment more before pulling out her wand. She looked at it and thought, 'It looks just like it did the day I bought it. It's been the only truly reliable thing in my life. So I should have the most reliable thing be the thing that finishes my last wish.' She lifted her wand and pointed it towards herself.  
  
She never noticed as the door from one of the rooms opened and shut silently and a figure walked into the room.  
  
"Avada - "  
  
"Hermione?" asked the person that had stepped into the Common Room.  
  
Hermione's breath caught. She knew that voice, but it couldn't be who she thought it was.  
  
The figure stepped into the moonlight that had filtered into the room.  
  
"Hermione, what are you doing?"  
  
"Draco?" she asked as she saw him clearly, looking like a pale angel in the moonlight. She didn't know what caused it to happen, but as soon as he nodded his confirmation, she fainted, there on the couch of the bay window.  
  
Draco rushed forward and picked her up. He knew perfectly well what she was doing, he couldn't imagine why she would want to kill herself, but he knew she was quite capable of it. He rushed her off to the hospital and he was reminded of that night that she had had a flashback in the Head boy and girl hall.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Madame Pomfrey saw Draco hurriedly walking down the hall to the hospital wing with someone in his arms. "Draco, what brings you down here?"  
  
"It's Hermione, she fainted back in the Common Room."  
  
"Okay, bring her over here," she said leading him over to the first empty bed available. Draco noticed that there were just two others in the hospital wing. He laid Hermione down on the bed and looked to Madame Pomfrey, "Do you know what caused this to happen?"  
  
"I don't know for sure, I just walked in and called to her. She said my name and she fainted. So I'm guessing that she was shocked to see me."  
  
"Yes, but why would she be that surprised to see you?"  
  
Draco wasn't about to tell what she was doing when he walked into the room. "I don't know."  
  
They walked over to Madame Pomfrey's office. Draco stood outside the door, not quite comfortable with being in her office.  
  
Hermione woke up several minutes later and saw Draco talking to Madame Pomfrey and then walking out of the hospital wing. She fell asleep wondering what was happening; she knew that Draco was dead. Or so she thought. She probed the school for Harry's mind waves so that she could hear what he was thinking about, and maybe talk to him with her telepathy. It was a far stretch, she knew, but she had to know.  
  
She finally found Harry, who was sitting in his dorm and thinking about nothing really.  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
'Harry?' Harry looked up at the feminine voice.  
  
He saw no one in his room and thought, 'What was that about?'  
  
'Harry, can you hear me?'  
  
"Well, yes," said Harry looking around.  
  
'Harry? Can you hear me? Please answer me.'  
  
'I did.'  
  
'Oh, sorry. I can't hear you when you speak aloud.'  
  
'Hermione? Is that you?' Harry was slightly shocked that Hermione was talking to him with telepathy.  
  
'Yes. Harry I have to ask you something.'  
  
'What is it Hermione?'  
  
'Is Draco alive?'  
  
"Damn, I forgot to tell her," said Harry aloud to himself.  
  
'Harry?'  
  
'Yes, he is. I need to tell you something.'  
  
'Yes, what is it?'  
  
'Well, Ginny and I visited Narcissa Malfoy the night that you visited Draco. She said that she would fake Draco's death and put him into the WWPP. And that was the night that I proposed to Gin. I knew that we had forgotten something the second she left. I'm sorry Hermione.'  
  
'It's okay Harry, thanks. Goodnight.'  
  
'Night Hermione.'  
  
~*::-::*~  
  
Hermione knew she had to find him. She hadn't found him anywhere in the school after the graduation. She walked outside and looked as many places as she could think of, and to no avail because he was no where to be found.  
  
She walked up the hill beyond the lake after she had given up hope of finding him, and then she spotted him at the top.  
  
"Draco!"  
  
He wheeled, startled, and there she was, her face flushed with the exertion of the climb, her hazel eyes wide and her lips parted as she stood before him.  
  
Draco looked past her, but saw no one. "You came alone?"  
  
Hermione didn't answer, but came to stand so close that he could smell her hair. She faced him squarely, short and slim in the bright November sunshine. Her face was filled with wonder. "You didn't die!"  
  
"No. There's so much left that I have to do before I die Hermione."  
  
She shook her head and asked with a catch of her breath. "But - I thought you and Cecily . . .?"  
  
He laughed and his eyes crinkled as he said, "Well, not anymore . . . my mother had something to do with it because she knew that Cecily was the bane of my existence, but she told me she'd never be satisfied with half a man."  
  
"She said that?"  
  
"Yes - and she was miserable about it too," Draco said. "My mother told her that something had come into my life, someone had come into my life, someone wonderful, but that it would make a difference in the plans . . . or basically that the engagement was off. Then when she was told that Hogwarts was going to always be where my heart belonged, she couldn't believe it." He laughed and said, "I guess the thought of marrying an Auror didn't appeal to her too much."  
  
Hermione stared at him, "An Auror!"  
  
He seemed embarrassed, and the smile he gave her wasn't very strong. He dropped it, and his face was honest and open in some new way. "I'm so ignorant Hermione! Here I've wasted my life, and now I stand here saying I'm going to be an Auror! Isn't that the most insane thing you've ever heard of?"  
  
"No."  
  
He stared at her. "You - you don't think so?"  
  
"Draco Malfoy!" Hermione said with a gust of emotion, "I expect you can do just about anything you set your mind to!"  
  
His mouth dropped open, and he stared at her. "Why, I've never done anything right in my whole life Hermione! Look at what I did to you, and -!"  
  
She put her hand on his lips, and he felt her tremble. "Hush! I want to ask you a question. Do you love me with all your heart?"  
  
He took her hand from his lips with his own and placed a light kiss on the backside, but did not release it. "Yes!" he said firmly.  
  
She nodded, and made attempt to reclaim her hand. He stared at her, stirred as always by the angelic beauty of her face. "Hermione, I wish that you and I - " he broke off suddenly, and then dropped her hand.  
  
"I have another question for you," she said and her voice was so unsteady that he looked up quickly.  
  
"Another question? What is it Hermione?"  
  
She swallowed and her voice trembled as she whispered, "Would - would you marry me?"  
  
He stared at her, thinking he had misunderstood, but she returned his look, her eyes shining like diamonds.  
  
"But - what about you and Justin Finch-Fletchley?"  
  
She shook her head saying, "He told me he needed more than half a woman! He said . . ." She turned away from him and her voice was so soft he had to lean forward to hear it - " . . .he said that any fool could see I was still in love with you - just like I always have been."  
  
A great joy filled his heart, and he turned her around. He looked down at her and she tried to smile saying with a sob, "And he was - he was right! I'll always love you!"  
  
She tried to turn and run, but his strong arms made her captive, and he waited until she grew calm.  
  
"I love you Hermione Morgan, and I would be honored to marry you," he whispered in her ear. Then he kissed her, and there was union as they held each other, their lips sealing what they felt in their hearts.  
  
Finally he pulled his head back, and there was light of pure joy in his brilliant, stormy-gray eyes, and a wide smile on his lips. 


	22. epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and I never intended on owning it either because I'm not that creative.

Well, here is the epilogue of the story; I hope that every one likes it because it's going to be REALLY long with a lot more humor (at least I'd like to think it was funny), hopefully that makes up for all of the shorter chapters. I'm talking longer than I've ever really written before and that's going to be weird for me. Some of this stuff in the chapter will be entirely left of to the imagination because I don't know how to describe some of them. Enjoy and please review!

Epilogue - February 2 (after graduation)

"Love is a rare thing to find at any time. I thought what we had, was merely just a friendship until I had lost you. I was blind then, but now I know that I couldn't live without you. I love you Ginny Weasley, and I'll love you for the rest of my life."

Hermione smiled at her best friend as he finished. Ginny had a tear streaming gracefully down her cheek as her soon to be husband ended his statement.

The couple looked over to Ron and Starlight. Ron nodded and then he began.

"Star, in the time that I've known you, you've shown more patience, kindness, and life than anyone I've ever known. When I met you, it was like I got my best friends back all in one person. But with you I also got love, the kind of love that couldn't be filled by family or by friends. It was the kind of love that only a soul mate could fill. I love you Star and I want to love you for the rest of our lives."

Starlight smiled at him and then the minister said, "Ladies, do you have anything you wished to add to that?"

"Harry, that was beautiful. I couldn't have said anything better myself. I love you Harry Potter, I always have and I always will."

"Ron . . . you know I'm not very articulate. I loved you since as long as I can think of from the time that I'd met you. You were always so passionate, and you always had a story to tell about all of your friends and all of your adventures. You were always very kind to me. Thanks so much for showing me more love than I've ever known in my life. You've made me happier than you'll ever know of."

Hermione looked over at Draco and gave him a small smile and he returned it. The parson led the couples through their vows and at last, Starlight finished with her 'I do'.

The parson smiled and said, "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husbands and wives. You may now kiss your brides."

:-:

Draco and Hermione rode in comfortable silence to the reception. They still hadn't told anyone that they were engaged, and no one asked because she didn't have a ring to prove anything . . . yet.

Starlight and Ron sat on the right side of the stretch limo and Harry and Ginny sat on the left side; Hermione and Draco were sitting in the back seat.

Harry looked at Hermione and said, "Mione you all right there?"

Hermione nodded her head and said, "Yeah, I'm fine."

'What's going on with you and Draco?'

'Harry, trust me, it's nothing,' she looked at him pointedly.

The limo stopped and Sirius and Arabella (who were in the front of the limo in front of the window) opened to darkened window in the front and said, "We're here everyone."

The door opened only moments later to reveal a grand looking hotel.

They walked up the stairs and Hermione and Draco led the way out to a garden filled with roses and there was a white fountain in the center of the farthest side from the door. Around the edge of the garden were tables for everyone that was going to be there. The lights were hung around the border and there were lanterns in the roses at places.

Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Starlight looked around in awe and then looked to Hermione, Draco, Sirius, and Arabella.

"You guys are the greatest!" said Harry hugging them all. He said thank yous to each of them quietly as he hugged them. (Even Draco)

Ginny and Starlight squealed in delight as the looked at the beautiful roses. Ginny said, "You guys are so wonderful to us!" Then she hugged all of them too.

Ron said thank you and hugged Hermione, shook Draco and Sirius' hands and then hugged Arabella. Starlight looked at them with a wide smile and said, "You are too kind!"

"You're welcome you guys," they said.

Five minutes later, people started arriving.

:-:

Everyone was having a great time dancing and talking as the food was on its way. Hermione and Draco watched as everyone was having a good time. They were hanging out on the side talking to each other quietly.

"Look at them, they're so happy," said Hermione. She looked at the two couples as a slow dance started. She saw how beautiful each of the girls looked in their matching wedding dresses. Harry and Ron were talking to each other and smiling more than Hermione had ever seen.

"I can't wait until that can be us," said Draco even more quietly.

"Neither can I Drake," she said smiling as she watched all of the dancing couples.

"Mione?"

"Hmm?"

"I know we're already getting married sometime, but it doesn't feel like it yet."

"Drake, what are you talking about?"

"Hermione, would you where this ring?" he said taking a step closer to her and pulling out it simple little box.

Hermione took it and opened it and her breath caught because inside was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen; a square cut diamond set in gold. She looked up at him with a smile and said, "Oh Draco, it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! I'd like nothing more than to wear this ring."

Draco took the ring from the box and took her left hand placing the ring on her third finger. Hermione looked at the ring on her hand and felt as though it was meant to be there.

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly.

:-:

Starlight and Ginny saw all of this was taking place. They looked over just as Draco slid the ring on Hermione's finger.

They all looked at each other knowingly. They had suspected for quite some time that something was happening with Draco and Hermione and they just weren't admitting it.

:-:

Hermione and Draco stood up at the front when the food came about five minutes later. "Can we have your attention please?" asked Draco tapping a knife against his glass. Everyone went quiet as the waiters began placing the food in front of everyone.

"First we would like to say congratulations to our brides and grooms," said Hermione.

There was a polite applause as Draco continued, "Next we would like to propose a toast."

Hermione said, "One to Harry and Ginny, may you be very happy from this day forward."

"To Harry and Ginny," everyone said and raised their glasses and took sips of their wine.

"And one to Starlight and Ron, I hope you guys will make each other happy," said Draco.

"To Starlight and Ron," everyone lifted their glasses again and sipped at their wine.

"And now we want to ask the brides and grooms to come up for a special dance. Then we will have everyone join them in the next dance."

Then the D. J. started the song Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls

And I'd give up forever to touch you

Cause I know that you feel me somehow

You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be

And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment

And all I can breathe is you life

Cause sooner or later its over

I just don't want to go home right now

And I don't want the world to see me

Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming

Or the moment of truth in your lies

When everything feels like the movies

Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive

And I don't want the world to see me

Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am

And I don't want the world to see me

Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am

Next everyone went up and danced to some faster and more upbeat songs (and some meant more for freak dancing that no one was able to do really well minus a select few). Most of the people couldn't dance very well except Draco and Hermione and by the end they had a circle of people watching them enviously, happily, or both. Never had many of the people there seen such a wonderful sight as when the two of them were dancing together, complimenting each other as if only they were meant to dance together and no one else could complete them. Their dance communicated things that people could never even begin to explain with words.

When the last song played, Draco and Hermione decided to take a breather and went back to the spot by the wall they had been at most of the night. Many people congratulated them on their dancing as they passed.

Harry and Ron walked over to them with identical mischievous smirks. Harry looked at Hermione and said, "So . . . Mione. Is there something that you aren't telling us?"

"Harry, what ever are you talking about?" asked Hermione innocently, but having a very good clue where this was going as she could read their minds.

"Well, last we checked, you and Malfoy were um - oh, Harry, what was the word?"

"Engaged," Harry said quickly.

"Yes, that was it, engaged. Now don't try to look innocent you two."

"Yeah, we know things and it comes from a very reliable source I hear."

"Oh and who might that be?" asked Hermione slyly.

Ron put a hand to his heart, "Hermione Morgan I am shocked and appalled that you would question our knowledge! Do you not trust us in saying that we have a source but to reveal that, we would have to Obliviate you?"

"Yes, can you not believe that we, your best friends, who by the way, know people who know people who just might have eyes in the back of their heads and know everything, just might find out about this whole engagement?"

"Starlight and Ginny told you, is that it?" asked Draco knowing that only women could observe such things and relay the message that fast.

"Exactly!" said Harry. "How could you have guessed?"

Draco answered in a dramatic stage whisper, "The Women's Network, no news travels faster than the news hot off the presses of the Woman who knows it. Believe me, I have seen it with my own eyes Potter and it isn't pretty. These women know everything and report it even faster than they learn it."

Hermione hit him playfully, "Hey, I resent that! I only relay the news as soon as I learn it thank you very much!"

"Oh I'm sorry dear. I didn't know you were still here," he said like he was just noticing her.

"Ha, ha, you're going to pay for that!" said Hermione inching closer.

"Harry, I think that was our cue to leave," said Ron making a show of grabbing Harry by the elbow.

"Oh and how is that?" asked Draco also nearing her.

Hermione placed her hands at the nape of his neck and looked into his eyes, "Oh I don't know, I was thinking that I could -"

"Just shut up and kiss me," he said lowering his lips to hers.

: 1 month later :

Hermione walked into the living room of Starlight and Ron's new home in her denim knee length skirt, knee length tan boots (with a 2 inch heel), and a tan sweater. Starlight smiled and gave her a hug.

"Hermione you look wonderful! I love your earrings," she said indicating the gold hoops in her ears.

"Thank you Starlight. Well, as soon as Ginny gets here, we can get started."

"When is your wedding date?"

"I'm thinking June 2."

"What's June second?" asked Ginny as she walked into the living room.

"Well, that's exactly a year from when Draco and I got engaged."

They looked at her confused. "But didn't you get engaged at our wedding?" asked Ginny.

"No, that's just when he gave me the ring. I asked him to marry me on the day of graduation."

"Wow. We had no idea!" said Starlight.

"Yeah, but don't we have some shopping to do? There's only 3 months until I'm going to be walking down the isle and I want it to be absolutely perfect!"

"All right, what shall we get first?"

"I think shoes."

They looked at her as if she had lost all sense. But then she continued, "There's no point in finding the perfect dress, but not the perfect shoes. If I get the shoes first, I can try them on with the dress and there will be several dresses that could match them rather than having to get the dress altered and then haul it around from store to store looking for shoes that match when they might not be as perfect as if I were to pick the shoes first."

They looked at each other, "The woman makes sense. I wish we'd have thought of that."

"It's settled then," said Starlight, "we're shopping for shoes first."

:-:

They apparated to an abandoned alley way and then walked around looking for the shoe stores.

The three girls walked into the most fancy shoe store they had ever seen before and decided that was a good place to start. They walked around for a while in the store to look at all of the shoes.

"Hermione, what kind of shoes are you looking for anyways?"

"Well, I think that since I'm so much shorter than Draco, I'd like to at least reach his shoulder."

"How tall are you exactly? All I know is that you're shorter than us," asked Ginny.

"Five two. Draco's five eleven in case you were planning on asking," said Hermione when she saw that Starlight was about to ask another question.

"So that means three inch heels at least . . . Hermione, that'll be murder on your feet you know," said Starlight.

"I know. And I just saw the perfect shoes!" she exclaimed looking up ahead at a pair of white three inch heels.

They followed her gaze and saw white shoes with intricate white beadwork in the shape of roses all along the sides of the shoes. They walked up to them and Hermione grabbed them to look more closely at them. They were perfect. She tried them on to see what they would look like and was surprised to find that they really enhanced her small feet and made her look much taller.

Ginny smirked, "Hey, now you're only an inch shorter than Star and I. How does the air feel up here?"

"Very funny. I could just die from laughter . . . or over oxygenation from the altitude," she said very seriously and pointedly. Then the girls just burst out laughing.

"Well, let's get these shoes then, how much are they Hermione?" said Starlight.

Hermione looked at the price of the shoes and said in an impassive manner, "Two hundred twenty. Well, let's get them shall we?"

"Hermione are you serious? That costs more than my shoes and Star's when they were added together!"

"Draco said that I'm not to come back home without having spent all the money he gave me today," said Hermione as though it were no big deal.

"How much did he give you?" asked Ginny.

Hermione whispered it in their ears. Ginny almost went white in the face and exclaimed, "Are you serious? How on earth are you going to spend that much money in one day? And what on earth are you doing with that much money in your pockets?"

"I don't know, but I guess you have to try something new every once in a while."

"Sure, but even I couldn't spend that much money," said Starlight, who had a reputation for spending money.

"Well, we're going to. We're going shopping like we've never gone before. Draco said we're going to get our shoes, dresses, and invitations today. He also wants us to buy lunch and get a spa day appointment for June first. So, how about the two of you pick out your shoes now, since we definitely have the money to spend."

"All right, come on Gin. Let's go find some shoes," said Starlight, pulling Ginny along to some shoes that she had spotted.

Hermione followed them to look at the shoes they had found. Ginny and Starlight (who have such a similar taste in fashion, they're like twins in that sense) were giggling and trying on the shoes they found.

They had found some black one-inch heels with rhinestone studs along all 4 straps, the two in front crisscrossed and the two in back crisscrossed around the ankle. Hermione decided that she liked the shoes and asked them how much they cost.

"Hundred eighty each," they said at the same time.

"Perfect."

"Well, Mione. Where to next?"

"Dresses, of course!"

"Great."

:-:

Hermione was losing hope that the perfect dress would be in the wedding dress shop they were in. She had tried on about six dresses. They were okay, but not stunning, and they really did nothing to make Hermione look like the bride she could be.

"What color scheme is the wedding going to be just out of curiosity?" asked Starlight as they walked around the shop still looking for Hermione's dress.

"Pine Green, mint, gold, white, and black. Draco and I figured we'd go for winter colors, since our favorite season is winter."

"Cool, we love those colors," said Ginny who immediately saw a perfect mint colored dress.

"Yeah, we just found our dresses apparently," said Starlight who looked at Ginny and saw that she had seen "the" dresses for them.

They walked over to the sage dresses, which had a square neckline and were made from satin material. They were stunning, but not so much that they would take the focus off of Hermione. They were form fitting and full length and very flattering for the two of them.

Hermione instantly loved the dresses and told them that they just had to try them on while she went to look for her dress.

She wandered around in the bride dresses looking for a dress. Finally, she had found it, and not a moment to soon because Ginny and Starlight had their dresses on and wanted Hermione to see them.

"You guys look beautiful," said Hermione smiling at her friends.

"Have you found a dress yet?"

"Yeah, just now," she said holding up the dress.

"Go try it on, we won't even look at it otherwise!" said Starlight in a mock authoritative voice.

"Yeah," said Ginny in agreement.

So Hermione went into the changing room and tried on the dress. She took about ten minutes before she walked out. The girls gasped, "Hermione? Is that you?"

"Of course it is!" said Hermione.

"You look gorgeous!" they said.

Hermione walked up to the three-way mirror and looked at the dress. It had a small train was the first thing she noticed. There were one-inch straps that hung off of her shoulders, and the dress had very intricate beadwork on the bodice, which was tight, but not so much that it looked like her air was being cut off. The dress hugged and enhanced all of her curves and made her look like a fairy tale princess. She had found it at last, and she had to have it.

"You guys, this is the one. I've always wanted a dress just like this."

"Let's get it then. I love it, and it's so beautiful, you'll knock everyone's socks off when they see you," said Ginny.

Hermione walked back into the changing room and took off the dress. When she walked out she asked, "Okay, how much is all of this?"

"Our dresses are only a hundred twenty, but yours is nine hundred, so I think we're doing just fine as far as money goes," Starlight said.

So they bought the dresses and went to the day spa to book an appointment. When they left the spa, they had spent fifteen hundred dollars to book it in advance for the three of them on June first. Then they bought the invitations, which cost Hermione two hundred dollars. Now she had just eighty dollars left.

"Okay, ladies, shall we go out for lunch now?" asked Hermione who was beginning to get hungry.

"Yes, I'm absolutely starving!" declared Ginny.

"Gosh Gin, you remind me of Ron! Is there ever a time in your house when anyone is NOT hungry?" said Starlight at that statement.

"Of course not!" said Ginny.

"Well, I guess that settles it. Lunch it is!" said Hermione as they walked to the nearest restaurant.

"Oh, Hermione, I've always wanted to eat here!" said Starlight as they walked in to the restaurant called The Blue Moon.

"Hello, may I help you?" asked the man at the counter.

"Yes, a table for three please," said Hermione.

"Right this way," he said guiding them to a table next to the window that overlooked the outside café. "A waiter will be with you in a moment, here are your menus."

The man walked away and the three girls looked at their menus.

"This is great, they have food from all over the world here! Look Italian, French, Indian, Thai, Chinese, American, Mexican, and even South American! It all looks so good, how am I ever going to decide what to get?" said Ginny, who looked like she was in heaven at the mere thought of food.

"What are you going to have Star?" Hermione asked.

"I'm thinking Italian. Fettuccine sounds wonderful."

"That does sound good," said Ginny.

"I agree," said Hermione.

The waiter showed up at that moment and said, "I am Justin, and I will be your waiter. What can I get for you ladies?"

Hermione looked up at the sound of the name, "Justin?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing here? I thought you wanted out of the muggle world," said Hermione just loudly enough for him to hear.

"Well, unlike you, I married and will have a family to support. I have to make a living somehow, and this job pays good money."

"Who would want to marry you?" said Ginny coming to Hermione's defense.

"It just so happens that I got married to Hannah Abbott. We're going to have a baby soon too. I can see that you haven't had a similar fate Hermione . . . so sad," said Justin sarcastically.

Hermione subconsciously fingered the ring on her left hand under the table.

"It just so happens that I am engaged Justin," she said quietly.

"Really? Are you going to break that off too because the man that you love is dead? Who would want to marry you when you spend your time pining away over Malfoy?"

"It just so happens that I am not pining away as you say. I am in love with this man and he is in love with me."

"Really!"

"Hmm," Hermione grunted in response.

"I find that very hard to believe. And just who might this bloke . . . or lady be?" he said acidly.

"Go to hell Justin," said Starlight.

The manager walked over at that moment because he had heard the raised voices. "What's going on here?" he asked the three women.

"This man is badgering our friend here," said Ginny, indicating Hermione.

"Is that true?" he asked Hermione.

"Yes, and I would very much appreciate a different waiter. I don't want to have to deal with this man's harassment and rude comments."

"I will see to that immediately. Justin, you're fired, I don't ever want to see you here again. That's the fifth time this has happened and I will not let it slide this time."

"See you in hell bitch," he said to Hermione and then stocked off.

"I am terribly sorry, ladies. I will see to it that you have our best waiter and, this meal is on the house. I cannot believe the audacity of some people!" said the owner in outrage at Justin's actions.

"That's quite all right sir. We are still going to pay for this. I insist," said Hermione kindly.

"All right, but I will see to it that you are served by our best waiter. I must make up for that dunderhead Justin."

And with that, he left and brought out his best waiter. "Ladies, this is Vince. He will be your waiter."

"Thank you very kindly," said Hermione as the owner left.

"Hello ladies. How may I be of service to you?" he said with a slight Italian accent.

"We would all like the chicken fettuccine in alfredo sauce please," said Starlight.

"Excellent choice ladies. May I get you anything to drink?"

"No, we're fine, thank you," they all said.

"Right. I will be out with your orders very soon."

With that he left.

The girls all giggled at each other as he walked off.

"Did you see that guy? Oh my goodness! He's hot!"

"Ginny!" Hermione scolded, "You're a married woman! I'm the only one who can say that he's hot!"

They all giggled again and chatted away for half an hour before Vince brought out their order.

"I hope you enjoy your meals ladies," said Vince with a debonair smile, and he walked back to another table he was waiting on.

The girls began eating the fettuccine.

"This is delicious," said Starlight.

"I've died and gone to heaven," said Ginny dramatically.

Hermione chortled at this comment. "I take it you and Harry can't cook this well?"

"Oh, Harry can, but he works so much that I don't want to make him cook. My cooking is pretty good though."

They ate the rest of their meals in silence. Vince came back to clear off the table and the girls declared that they were stuffed. "Very well, I shall get your bill."

The girls all giggled again as he walked away. "Hey, I thought I said that only I was allowed to look?" said Hermione sarcastically.

"Oh, Hermione, we know you won't tell!" they said just as sarcastically.

With that, Vince walked back to their table and handed them their bill.

They looked at the bill, which said sixty dollars.

"Perfect. We've successfully spent my money and we can go home in peace," declared Hermione.

"Cool. Let's go pay before I decide to stay here for the rest of my life," said Ginny.

"All right Gin. You might want to wipe up the drool that's coming down your chin," said Starlight dramatically.

They laughed and paid the bill, plus a twenty-dollar tip to Vince. Then they walked back to the abandoned alleyway and each of them apparated to their homes.

:-:

Narcissa had insisted that Hermione live in Malfoy Manor before she married Draco. She and Draco shared a floor that was where they lived. Hermione walked into her room, which was just across from Draco's and sat on her bed after putting everything she'd bought away.

Tears slid down her cheek quietly as she recalled her encounter with Justin earlier.

Draco walked in at that moment and saw the tears on her cheeks. "Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked sitting next to her on the bed. He put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him.

"Well, I ran into Justin Finch-Fletchley today. He said some things that I'd rather not repeat. But I'm just a bit shaken up, that's all," said Hermione fighting back the tears that were coming.

"Hermione, I know that you want to cry. If you want to you can because you've been tougher than I could ever imagine about everything that has gone on since the whole Cecily thing happened. I'm here for you, no matter what."

With that, Hermione broke down in his arms as sobs overtook her. She hadn't realized just how much she had wanted to cry over everything that had happened. She hadn't really cried for a long time, so she had a lot of emotion stored up just wanting to be let loose.

"It's all right Hermione. Take as long as you need," he said rubbing her back gently.

Her tears subsided and she looked into the eyes of her fiancée lovingly. "Thank you Draco, I really needed that."

"I could tell," he said kissing her forehead. "Did you have a good time today, other than that?"

"Yes, and I spent every last bit of it."

"Good."

"Hey, Draco?"

"Hmm?"

"I know that you're in WWPP, but I never did find out what your new name is. I mean, it might be nice to know."

"Oh, that's a good point. I can't believe I haven't told you yet. It's Draco Elias Lawrence."

"I like it."

"Somehow I knew you would. Now Hermione, I have a proposition for you about the wedding."

"I'm interested."

"Well, I was thinking . . ."

: June 1st :

All three girls met at about eleven. Hermione had a grayish - blue tank top, a denim knee-length skirt, and denim open toed three-inch heels. Ginny had an emerald green jacket over a white tank top, and jean hip huggers and green flip-flops. Starlight was wearing a black chenille three quarter sleeve shirt, and shiny silver pants with black pointed toe boots with two-inch heels. They looked like they had just stepped out of the covers of some of the more famous magazines.

Hermione and Ginny and Starlight walked into the spa that they had reservations at and walked up to the counter.

"Hello, ladies. We've been expecting you," said the woman at the counter. "This way please. Now here are the changing rooms, and you'll find some robes in there. I hope you enjoy your day ladies."

With that, the three of them changed into their robes and left all of their clothes and belongings in the lockers that were there.

"All right girls, let's go get pampered! Let's split up and once we've done everything, we'll head out to the church for the rehearsal stuff, and go out to dinner with the guys. Oh, I'm so excited! I'm getting married tomorrow!"

The other two chuckled at her excitement and they went their separate ways.

:-:

Draco, Harry, and Ron were at the tux shop, getting finishing touches on their suits.

"So, how does it feel Draco?" asked Harry.

"How does what feel?"

"How does knowing you're getting married tomorrow feel?"

"Well, I'm kind of nervous about this whole wedding thing. It's a big difference being a groom, than a best man. You guys went straight to the groom thing first. So you tell me, how does it feel?"

They looked at each other, nodded, then Ron took his turn, "There's no need to be nervous, you're getting married to one of the best women I've ever met. If anything, I felt more nervous being a groom first, much bigger step really. To tell you the truth, I was most nervous about everything after the wedding."

"Why would you be nervous about that?"

"She was my first! Unlike you, I saved myself man."

Harry covered his ears, "I didn't need to hear that Ron."

"Okay, guys are getting pine green ties and cummerbunds, so let's get that over with."

So the clerk brought out 20 cards of the different greens that they had. Draco didn't see any color that was exactly the shade he wanted until the clerk brought out the last 15 greens that there were.

Draco saw the perfect pine green on the very last sample color. So the clerk brought the color card back and brought out three ties and cummerbunds.

"Now, do either of you need your suits fixed?" asked Draco.

"I need my pants fixed," said Ron looking down at his suit pants, which were almost at his ankles.

"I'd say," said Harry. "Mine doesn't need fixing. It was tailored by Madame Malkin back when I got married, so it never needs to be adjusted."

"Oi, we need you to adjust my friends tux pants!" called Draco to the tailor.

Two hours later, they were walking to the church in their normal clothes. Harry in khakis and a green long sleeve shirt, Ron in black pants and a gray shirt, and Draco in tailored jeans and a white long sleeve turtleneck shirt. (I don't know what it is, but guys look hot in turtlenecks!)

They walked into the church and saw that many people were preparing it for the wedding. There were calla lilies and white roses being brought in along with dozens of candles. It was interesting to see all of the stuff before it was actually set up. The guys took a seat, and waited.

:-:

Hermione, Starlight, and Ginny met up in the lobby of the day spa manicured, pedicured, waxed, moisturized, exfoliated, massaged, and completely pampered. They all looked visibly relaxed even though they weren't stressed to begin with. Hermione had her hair up still from when she had gone into the mud bath. Starlight and Ginny had their hair down.

They walked to the church, which was only ten minutes away. When they walked in, they were greeted with the sight of flowers, candles, materials, and any other thing that one could imagine finding at a wedding.

Draco was the first to see the girls and nudged Harry, who nudged Ron. They got up and met up with Hermione, Starlight, and Ginny. Harry took Ginny's hand in his and kissed her cheek, and they walked off talking about the upcoming wedding. Ron hugged Starlight and put his arm around her waist as they walked off talking about nothing in general. Draco pulled Hermione into his arms and gave her a light kiss.

"How was your day Mione?" asked Draco.

She kissed him back and said, "Relaxing. How about you?"

"It was okay. I'm kind of nervous about tomorrow, but I'm also excited."

"Me too."

"But it'll be worth it."

"Don't you know it?" she said, kissing him again passionately.

"Okay you two! Save it for tomorrow," said Ron.

"Yeah, it's like I'm watching my sister snogging some guy, that's just wrong," said Harry.

"Are you saying that I'm just some guy?" Draco asked incredulously.

"No he's not Drake. You are some very hot guy, that I was snogging," said Hermione like she was explaining to a young child.

"Oh, that makes it a lot better," said Draco in mock outrage.

"Let's go meet the parson. I want to eat!" said Ron and Ginny together.

The group burst out laughing at them being so much alike.

: wedding day :

Arabella and Sirius looked in on their daughter as she put her jade earrings on. She was reaching for the gold choker necklace studded with jade, when Arabella grabbed it and put it on her daughter's neck. She smiled at Hermione and said, "Honey you look beautiful."

"Thank you mum," said Hermione smiling up at her parents.

"Hermione, we have someone here who wanted to see you before the wedding," said Sirius looking to the door.

In walked her other father and he smiled as he saw her, "Hermione, you look wonderful!"

"Dad, what are you doing here?"

"I really wish that I could stay for your wedding, but I can't. I just wanted to give you this," he handed her a small package wrapped in white, "and to let you know that that Blaise Zabini bloke is in jail for what he did to you. I couldn't let him get away with what he did to you, not when I was responsible for the same thing. That is why I turned myself in to the police about what I did to you to show you how sorry I am. I love you Mione girl, don't ever forget that."

Hermione got up and hugged her father, "I love you too dad. Thank you." With that, he left.

Sirius walked behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. "You've really grown up Hermione."

"What is inside the package dear?"

Hermione opened carefully and inside was a simple gold bracelet. Hermione took it out and put it on her right wrist. "I can't believe that he would do this for me."

"Mum, would you help me with my hair?" asked Hermione looking at her hair.

"Sure dear. I'd love to. Sirius, would you go check on the others?"

"Yes dear," he said leaving the room.

"Now, let's do something with that hair, shall we?" said Arabella putting Hermione in a chair and taking out all the styling supplies.

Twenty minutes later, Hermione had her hair set into a french knot with some small curls framing her face. Then her mom did her make up in about ten more minutes. Her make up was very natural looking and enhanced her face well. She had glossy lips, a slight blush, and her eyes were softly emphasized by a light gray eye shadow, which really brought out the color of her hazel eyes. In a word, she looked dazzling.

"Now, let's just put on the veil and you're all set," said her mother admiringly.

"Mum, where did you learn how to do hair and make up like that?" she asked after the veil was securely in place.

"Well, when I was relocated to Russia, that was my job. There, you look perfect," she said while handing her the bouquet of white roses and calla lilies.

Then came a knock on the door. Harry opened it and stepped in, "Mione, you look beautiful!"

"Thank you Harry," she said hugging him.

"I was just coming to let you know that we're about to start the ceremony. Dad is waiting . . . rather impatiently I might add."

"Yes, I'm coming. Don't get your knickers in a twist!" she said good- naturedly.

Ron was also waiting outside, "Wow! Mione is that you? You look like a girl!"

"Why thank you Ron, I hadn't noticed!" Hermione said jokingly.

Both Harry and Ron held out their elbows and Hermione took both of them as they escorted her to Sirius.

:-:

Hermione took Sirius' proffered elbow when she got there and immediately the bridal walk began. The flower girl walked down the isle dropping white rose petals as Aerosmith's Don't Want to Miss a Thing played (sorry, I couldn't get the lyrics or I'd have them here). When she got to the front she walked to the bride's side and sat down.

Next, Hermione and Sirius stepped onto the isle and walked down. Many gasped as they looked at Hermione. Most of them were friends from school on Hermione's side, who had only seen her dressed up one other time and that was at the Yule Ball in fourth year. She was even more beautiful than many remembered.

As she got to the front, the song ended and she took Draco's hand and they stepped up to the alter.

:-:

"Do you, Hermione Terra Morgan take Draco Elias Lawrence to be your lawfully wedded husband, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer as long as you both shall live?"

Hermione smiled as she said, "I do." Then she mouthed the words 'I love you' to him.

"And do you, Draco Elias Lawrence take Hermione Terra Morgan to be your lawfully wedded wife, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," said Draco then mouthing the words 'I love you too.'

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Hermione handed the bouquet to Ginny, and then turned to face Draco, who lifted the veil and put it back. Then he took both of her hands and leaned down to capture her lips in a passionate kiss; a kiss that sealed their new life together as Mr. and Mrs. Draco Lawrence.

:-:

Finally, they arrived at the Malfoy Manor, which was decorated for their reception by the house elves. Hermione and Draco walked into a ballroom full of people. Everyone greeted the new bride and groom.

When they made their way to the front and were greeted Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Starlight.

"Congratulations," said Ron and Harry.

Ginny and Starlight looked at the two of them and smiled as they said, "You guys are so lucky to have found each other."

Hermione and Draco looked at each other and said, "We know."

"Let's get started on the dancing! I've been waiting all night for our dance," said Hermione.

"Right." Draco looked up to the D. J. and nodded.

Hermione walked to the dance floor and started the dance as Daniel Bendingfield's (sorry if I spelt it wrong, but I was very unsure how it was supposed to be spelt) If You're Not the One played.

If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?

If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?

If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call

If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all

I never know what the future brings

But I know you are with me now

We'll make it through

And I hope you are the one I share my life with

I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand

If I'm not made for you, then why does my heart tell me that I am?

Is there any way that I could stay in your arms?

If I do not need you then why am I crying on my bed?

If I do not need you then why does your name resound in my head?

If you're not for me then why does this distance maim my life?

If you're not for me then why do I dream of you as my wife?

I don't know why you're so far away

But I know that this much is true

We'll make it through

And I hope you are the one I share my life with

And I wish that you could be the one I die with

And I pray you're the one build my home with

I hope I love you all my life

I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand

If I'm not made for you, then why does my heart tell me that I am?

Is there any way that I could stay in your arms?

Cause I miss you, body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away

And I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today

Cause I love you, whether it's wrong or right

And though I can't be wit h you tonight

And you know my heart is by your side

I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand

If I'm not made for you, then why does my heart tell me that I am?

Is there any way that I could stay in your arms?

Draco kissed Hermione's forehead as the song ended. Everyone joined in on the next dance, which nobody recognized (except the D. J. of course) but it was definitely meant for freak dancing was all that anyone knew which was fine for Draco and Hermione of course. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Starlight were certainly getting on better at freak dancing that was for sure.

After some more dancing for almost an hour, the food was brought out and everyone ate.

Next, Harry came up after dinner was over.

"Can I have your attention please?" he said. (He had immediate attention seeing as he was Harry Potter.) "I just wanted to make a toast to the bride and groom. You guys have been great friends, and I want to wish you guys as much happiness as Ginny and I, and Ron and Starlight have from marriage. To the bride and groom!"

"To the bride and groom!" said everyone raising their glasses to Draco and Hermione.

Then the chef brought in the cake and Narcissa said, "Draco, Hermione, come here please!"

They walked down to the back of the room hand in hand. Narcissa handed them a knife and told them to cut the cake. They cut out a small piece of the cake and cut it in half. Draco and Hermione each took a piece of the cake and brought them to each other's mouth. Hermione licked the frosting off of her finger, and everyone smiled.

The D. J. put some music back on, and for five more songs, everyone danced.

Ginny nudged Starlight and said, "Is it just me, or is Hermione way shorter than Draco in those shoes?"

"Yeah, speaking of shoes, have you looked at Draco's? What's with the Chuck Taylors?" Starlight was amused at this discovery.

Draco said at the end of the fifth dance, "Okay, we'd like to do just two more things and then we're out of here. Can all of the unmarried ladies please come forward?"

Hermione watched as all the girls came up and then threw the bouquet. Padma Patil caught it. "Okay, now I'd like all of the unmarried blokes up here."

Hermione sat down and Draco lifted her skirt up just enough that everyone could see the garter he was taking off. He pulled it off and over her shoes, and then threw the garter. They weren't sure who caught it; it was some distant relative of Hermione's.

Ginny and Starlight looked at each other and laughed as they looked at Hermione. She tos was wearing a pair of Chuck Taylor shoes.

Their parents smiled at them when they caught sight of their shoes.

"Well, you guys can stay until my mum kicks you out, but as for us, we're out of here," said Draco, pulling Hermione along behind him.

:-:

That night, Hermione and Draco apparated to the Caribbean. They went up to their hotel room and Draco pulled Hermione to the bed.

"I love you Mione."

"I love you too Drake," said Hermione inching closer to him.

"Now shut up and kiss me," he said as he pulled her to him and kissed her with all the love he felt for her.

They made love, and as Draco lay there with her, he kissed her forehead and knew that it could only be destiny that brought this girl into his life. It was their destiny and no one would ever change that.

: the end :

Author's note: I hate to say that I'm not going to give personal thank yous to everyone, but just know that I appreciate everyone who reviewed my story. It's midnight right now and I'm so tired I can barely see straight. I hope you liked the ending everyone, it was almost 8000 words, and that's a LOT for me! And just because I'm done, doesn't mean you have to stop reviewing! hint, hint, ;)


End file.
